


Opposites Attract

by GalahadThePure



Category: Dragalia Lost (Video Game), Fate/Grand Order
Genre: Crossover, Developing Friendships, Double Penetration in One Hole, Eventual Smut, Foursome - M/M/M/M, M/M, Partner Swapping, Sex Toys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-02-12 19:15:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 41,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21481456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalahadThePure/pseuds/GalahadThePure
Summary: Heinwald has always been curious about the nature of The Space Between Worlds and Otherworld Fragments. After performing a few experiments, he is able to discover that The Space Between Worlds not only serves as a holding zone for dangerous fiends, but it also exists as a crossroads between worlds. Eager to gain allies, he and Curran venture into The Space Between Worlds and use the Otherworld Fragments to venture to a new world. However, the world they end up in is one unlike any they have seen before.
Relationships: Curran/Heinwald (Dragalia Lost), Iskandar | Rider/Waver Velvet
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I started this fic during the anniversary event in Dragalia before Lathna became playable, so that's why Chronos is the enemy they're fighting at the beginning. I would have posted and updated sooner, but I was busy with Hearsay Heresy. I really wanted to write this crossover because WaveRider and CurraHein are my fav MM ships and I felt that it would be an interesting dynamic if the two couples ever met. Since it takes place before Lathna became playable, when she eventually makes her appearance, Akasha will be absent from the fic. Enjoy the crossover!

Curran heaved his ax over his shoulder as Chronos Nyx retreated. Heinwald quickly tended to their other injured party members, reviving Ieyasu and Botan from the brink of death. A portal began to open behind the party, its light already beginning to wane. It seemed their time in the space between worlds was coming to a close.

“Don’t just stand there!” Botan cried, “We gotta get out of here before it comes back!”

She grabbed Ieyasu’s hand, pulling him into the portal and back to their world. As Curran was about to join them, he noticed Heinwald staring off into the space around them, the gears of time rhythmically ticking.

“Hein, aren’t you coming?” Curran urged, “You don’t want to get stuck here right?”

Heinwald suddenly snapped back into reality, turning around to face Curran and the portal.

“Oh yes, of course,” he replied, reaching out to Curran.

They leapt through the portal between worlds, returning from the arena frozen in space and time to their homeland of Grastaea. Prince Euden and their new ally, Audric were waiting there eagerly for the party’s return.

“I’m so glad you all are alright,” Euden sighed in relief, “I’m sorry for dragging you into this. I know it’s my battle, but I could not possibly manage to weaken Chronos on my own.”

“Think nothing of it, your majesty,” Ieyasu replied, “I will gladly lend you my blade to protect our world.”

“Lord Ieyasu, you mustn’t be so reckless!” Botan worried, “Several times you were so caught up in the heat of battle that you didn’t see Chronos’ meteors heading right for you! If it weren’t for Mr. Heinwald, you would have been a goner!”

Botan turned to Heinwald, bowing politely, “Thank you so much for healing us, Mr. Heinwald. You saved our lives.”

“It would be troublesome for me to let my allies fall in battle,” Heinwald chuckled, “What kind of healer would I be if I failed to keep you alive?”

“What kind of healer uses abyssal tendrils to heal his allies either…” Curran sassed, “I’m grateful for your assistance Hein, but have you ever considered healing the normal way?”

“Lifesteal is just as effective Curran,” Heinwald retorted, “Arguably more so since I’m assisting the party in damaging and binding our enemy.”

“As long as it works, the method matters not,” Audric added, “I admire your versatility, Sir Heinwald.”

“He gets it, Curran,” Heinwald huffed.

“I’m just glad we’re alive,” Botan yelped, “Chronos’ regular form is a pushover, but Chronos Nyx is a nightmare!”

“You all have done well,” Euden praised, “We still have plenty of otherworld fragments, but it would be cruel of me to force you guys back in there tonight. I think all four of you have earned a well-deserved rest. We can resume our attack on Chronos tomorrow.”

“Thank goodness…” Botan cheered, “Lord Ieyasu, would you like to go out for yakiniku tonight with Sazanka and Addis?”

“That sounds wonderful,” Ieyasu replied, “Curran, Heinwald, would you care to join us?”

Curran salivated. Grilled meat with a large pint of ale sounded good right about now. He would gladly take them up on that offer. Unfortunately, Heinwald had different plans.

“I am afraid I have to decline,” Heinwald said, “The offer is tempting, but there is something I must look into once we return to the Halidom, and I must do so immediately. You may go if you wish, Curran.”

“Is it so urgent that you can’t even get dinner?” Curran asked, “You’re gonna work yourself to death if you don’t eat something.”

“I will have Cleo prepare something that I can eat in my room. You needn’t worry about me starving.”

Curran sighed. As much as he wanted to unwind with some meat and booze, it would behoove him to go back with Heinwald. Whenever Heinwald got even the slightest hint of a mystery, he had to pursue it, and often didn’t know where to stop until it was too late. It was Curran’s duty as his partner in both work and life to protect him.

“Guess I’ll go with you too Hein,” Curran conceded, “We’ll take a rain check for next time, Ieyasu.”

“Feel free to meet up with us if you change your mind,” Ieyasu smiled.

Ieyasu and Botan bowed politely, heading back to the Halidom to pick up their companions for dinner. As soon as everyone else had left, Heinwald immediately rushed home, not saying a single word to Curran. Heinwald was always an eccentric, antisocial guy, but this behavior was weird even for him. Curran followed behind him, trying to catch up and figure out what was going on. Though he was never as good at piecing together clues as Heinwald, he tried to discern something, anything that would give him insight as to why Heinwald was acting so strangely.

Heinwald wouldn’t speak to him the entire way back to the Halidom. He didn’t seem mad at him, but Curran was still at a loss as to what was compelling him to act this way. As soon as they reached their room, Heinwald immediately shut the door behind him, leaving Curran shocked on the other side.

“You want me to get you anything to eat?” Curran asked.

“I will go get dinner when I am ready. I am not hungry right now,” Heinwald replied.

There wasn’t a hint of anger in his tone. Instead, he sounded determined, prepared to unravel whatever mystery he had stumbled upon. Curran sighed. There was no reasoning with him when he got like this. He supposed it would be better for him to just grab some food for the two of them. Curran knew Heinwald too well. Even though he said that he wasn’t hungry, there was one thing that he could always bring to him to get him to eat, and maybe even tell him what was going on.

Curran rushed to the kitchen, greeted by the delicious smell of Cleo’s cooking. Cleo was hard at work, pulling a roast of prime rib out of the oven and pouring its juices into a gravy boat. Green beans blanched in a pot, waiting for her to take them out and sautée them in olive oil and salt while a bowl of mashed potatoes steamed beside them.

“Dinner looks good Cleo,” Curran commented, “Need any help?”

“Ah, Curran,” she smiled gently, “No I am more than capable of finishing it on my own.”

She poured the green beans into a colander, draining the water before transferring them to a pan. Curran looked around the kitchen while Cleo cooked away, opening the door to the icebox.

“Cleo,” Curran wondered, “Do we still have any cake from the prince’s party?”

“There should be a few slices worth left,” Cleo replied, starting to carve the now rested roast, “It’s next to the milk.”

Curran crouched down, pulling the remnants of a large, chocolate cake with fluffy vanilla icing out of the icebox. He brought it out to the counter, slicing off a large piece and putting it on a plate before putting the rest away.

“Getting some cake for Heinwald?” Cleo asked.

“Yeah. He said he’s ‘not hungry’…” Curran responded.

Cleo sighed deeply as she plated up dinner for Curran, “Honestly that man… He easily ate half of that cake on his own…”

“Should I leave it for someone else?”

“No… If it’s not eaten it will spoil and I would rather Heinwald eat it than Yue or Ranzal. He needs to put on a bit of weight.”

“Thanks Cleo.”

Cleo grinned as she handed him his plate of food and some silverware.

“Any time,” she smiled, “And tell Heinwald that if he needs a break from healing duty, I can take over. I won’t deny that he is dedicated to the craft, but he works too hard sometimes.”

“I tell him that all the time, but telling that man to take a break is like talking to a brick wall,” Curran confessed.

“Well, best of luck then.”

“Thanks.”

Curran took the plates of food and cake in both hands, carrying them out of the kitchen and back to his room. While the door was closed, fortunately, Heinwald didn’t lock it. Curran set down one of the plates, twisting the doorknob to open the door. Heinwald was hard at work inside, sitting at his desk and not even looking at Curran. A stack of books sat beside him, as well as piles of paper and what looked like small, glowing gems. Curran picked up Heinwald’s cake, bringing it over to the desk and placing it in the limited free space. Heinwald’s eyes immediately shifted to the slice, making his mouth water.

“Is that… cake?” Heinwald said.

“I know your code Hein,” Curran replied, “When you say ‘I’m not hungry,’ it means ‘I want something sweet.’”

Heinwald grumbled, snatching a fork from Curran’s hand and beginning to eat. Curran looked over his shoulder, finally getting a closer look at what Heinwald had on the table. The gems he was examining were not gems at all; they were otherworld fragments, still pulsing with black mana. Scrawled on his notes were intricate sigils and complicated equations, no doubt related to the magic Heinwald studied.

“So…” Curran asked, “Whatcha got there?”

Heinwald froze, realizing that Curran had noticed the otherworld fragments he smuggled from the raid. He quickly pushed them off to the side, trying to cover it up.

“A piece of cake?” he replied.

“That’s not what I’m talking about Heinwald,” Curran sighed, “Why did you bring back some otherworld fragments? Doesn’t Euden need those in order for us to travel to the space between worlds?”

Heinwald lowered his head, “Looks like you’ve caught me red handed…”

“Why’d you take so many of them? Do you really not want to fight Chronos anymore? Cleo offered to take your place as the party’s healer if it’s too much work for you.”

“No I am perfectly fine with fighting. I… I just brought these back for research purposes. During our last fight with Chronos, something sparked my curiosity…”

Curran pulled up a chair, sitting next to Heinwald as he explained.

“Go on,” Curran encouraged.

“Well,” Heinwald began, “You recall how whenever we go off into the space between worlds, we encounter adventurers from other worlds? Whether they’re from a world parallel to ours or a completely different universe, I always found their existence fascinating. They’re a living confirmation of the multiverse theory.”

“What are you sayin’ Hein?”

“I’ve come to the belief that the space between worlds is a crossroads. We always bring enough fragments to enter and return to our world, but have you ever considered bringing extra fragments to venture to another universe? Think of the allies we could recruit for our cause! Consider the strength of those we recruited from Alfonse’s world. We could enlist even more people of his, Marth’s, Veronica’s, and Fjorm’s caliber.”

“But didn’t they come from a gate or somethin’?”

“No, they _returned_ via a gate. If memory serves, Alfonse said they were spirited away to our realm when Loki opened a portal that took them here. If my theory is correct, the otherworld fragments are the key.”

“Ok Hein… Let’s just think about this for a bit. Consider you are right and the space between worlds is a crossroads. What we gonna do about Chronos guarding the potential gates to other worlds? I could understand performing this experiment After we kick Chronos’ ass, but going in alone against that thing would be suicide.”

“This seems to be the only time we can test my theory though. Do you ever notice that the otherworld fragments disappear as soon as we kill the fiend trapped in the space between worlds? I believe that the space between worlds can only act as a crossroads when a body is occupying it.”

“I still don’t think it would be a good idea for you to try it alone…”

Heinwald smirked shrewdly making the color drain from Curran’s face. He did not like where this was going.

“Whoever said I would be going alone, Curran,” Heinwald smirked, “You’re my partner. It only seems fitting that you would join me in the experiment.”

“I shoulda known you were gonna drag me into this…” Curran sighed, “Why do I put up with you…”

“Because you love me,” Heinwald smiled kissing Curran lightly on the cheek.

“At least let me eat first,” Curran grumbled, “If we’re gonna go off on a suicide mission I at least want to have a nice last meal.”

“I have no objections to that. After all, I still need to finish my cake.”

***

Curran panted, rising up from the rubble of Chronos’ arena. Heinwald quickly waved his staff over Curran’s body, sealing up the gashes and tending to his wounds.

“Damn…” he huffed, “I thought you said we were gonna fight Chronos’ weakest form… That was hell.”

“Well, it always seems like a one-sided beat down against him when we’re in a party of sixteen, but I suppose two versus one evens the playing field a bit.”

“I thought I was gonna die at least three times…” Curran groaned.

Heinwald glowered at him, “Good to see that you have so much faith in my ability as a healer…”

“Heh, bet if we were headin’ back home I’d be sleepin’ on the floor tonight for that one…”

“You’re more perceptive than I give you credit for. However you can earn my forgiveness by buying me dessert in whatever realm we travel to.”

“Didn’t you just have a slice of cake for dinner?”

“That was dinner. I’ve yet to have dessert.”

“I swear to Ilia your sweet tooth is somethin’ else Hein… Fine I’ll get you something sweet, just use the otherworld fragments already so we can get out of here. Whatever realm we go to, I’m sure it’ll be better than the space between worlds.”

Heinwald pulled the otherworld fragments and a crumpled sheet of parchment out of his pocket. He unfolded the sheet, reading the coordinates he had hastily written down. Carefully, he walked around the arena, tracking his steps to ensure that he stopped at just the right location. Once he reached the specified spot, he threw the fragments into the air, spawning a portal in front of them.

“It looks like the portal we normally take,” Curran commented, “You sure it’s gonna work Hein?”

“I’m certain,” Heinwald assured, “I confirmed the location of another world at these coordinates. Though I don’t know what the world is like, based on the mana flow in this location, I am certain that its existence is undeniable.”

“Still sounds a bit shady to me, but I suppose I don’t really have room to object. If I’m gonna die, at least I’ll be dying with my lover.”

“We aren’t going to die Curran. Trust me.”

Heinwald extended his hand to Curran as he faced the portal.

“Well, shall we?” he offered.

“Here goes nothin’.” Curran sighed.

He squeezed his eyes shut in anticipation for the worst, grabbing onto Heinwald’s hand and leaping through the portal. His feet hit the ground in the new world, landing with a cold clang on a hard surface. It didn’t feel like dirt or stone, but some sort of other artificial flooring.

“Curran…” Heinwald said, “Open your eyes. You’re going to want to see this…”

Hesitantly, Curran opened his eyes. His jaw dropped in shock. The two were inside of a sterile chrome building, a harsh blizzard raging outside. The room was not lit with sconces, but instead had bright light sources encased in glass on the ceiling. The walls around them were cold metal, and all sorts of unknown technology surrounded them.

“Hein…” Curran gaped, “Did we… go to the future?”


	2. Chapter 2

Waver plopped down in bed, sighing as he relaxed into the soft comforter. He buried his face in the pillow, his body going limp after finally getting a well-deserved break.

“Finally Gilfest is over…” he exhaled, “I can finally rest…”

He cringed as he heard the door to his room open, loud footsteps approaching his bed.  
“Boy,” a booming voice cheered, “I have a present for you! I managed to procure a new game. Shall we play it tonight?”

“Iskandar, I’m exhausted,” Waver grumbled, “Please, just let me sleep…”

Waver yelped as he felt a tug on the back of his shirt, Iskandar pulling him up to sit next to him. Iskandar threw his arm around his shoulder, beaming with pride as he showed off the plastic wrap sealed video game box. A picture of a man in a mask posing like the Buddha sat in the center of the cover, the game’s title, “Borderlands 3” written across the top.

“You can start playing it without me if you want,” Waver said, “As much as I want to play it with you, I’m just too tired… I don’t think I’ll be able to enjoy it.”

Iskandar kissed Waver’s forehead, pressing his lips into the deep frown lines carved between his brows. Waver relaxed into the kiss, leaning up against Iskandar as he peppered gentle pecks all over his face.

“Then I shall hold off on playing it,” Iskandar cooed, “You may rest, but could I hold you close as you fall asleep?”

“That sounds nice,” Waver yawned.

The two lay down on the bed, Waver nuzzling into Iskandar’s broad chest. Iskandar ran his finger through Waver’s long, brown hair, working out the tangles with his fingers. Waver’s eyelashes fluttered, his breathing easing as he drifted asleep on Iskandar’s chest. It was nice to see Waver so relaxed. Their master had been working him to the bone lately, constantly sending him out to fight and gather tickets for Gilgamesh’s lottery. Fortunately, now they had a bit of down time before their next big battle, and Waver could finally take a breather, if only for a moment.

Just as Waver finally began to nod off, the intruder alarm sounded, jolting him awake.

“Oh come on…” he grumbled.

“An intruder at this hour?” Iskandar wondered.

There was suddenly a knock at the door. It was certainly their master, coming to ask Waver to help deal with the intruder in Chaldea. Waver groaned, slowly beginning to get up only to be stopped by Iskandar’s hand.

“You wait here my treasure,” Iskandar assured, “I will ask master if she can permit you the night off.”

“Thanks,” Waver replied, grabbing an extra pillow and squishing it over his head, attempting to drown out the blaring scream of the alarm.

Iskandar headed to the door, opening it to see their master, Gudako, a petite girl with red hair and piercing, amber eyes. Her second in command, Mash, was in tow, changed into her armor to guard their master from any possible harm posed by the intruder.

“Master,” Iskandar said, “Is this about the alarm?”

“Yes, Rider,” she fretted, “Normally these alarms are drills, but I have been told by DaVinci that this is the real deal. We have confirmation of two intruders on Chaldea’s premises.”

“Any clue as to their identities?” Iskandar wondered.

“We don’t know who they are or where they come from,” Mash informed, “But based on DaVinci’s analysis, their strength is on par with many of our servants here. She could not find a spirit origin on either of them, so their true names are unknown, but she did sense the presence of an Eldritch God on one of them.”

“A Foreigner?” Iskandar wondered, “Perhaps you should call on Miss Sessyoin to dispatch them.”

“DaVinci is getting her right now,” Gudako informed, “But we will need professor’s assistance as well.”

“Master, must he go fight?” Iskandar sighed, “He is exhausted from overwork. Could you possibly ask Hans or Skadi to assist in his stead?”

“I would, but Skadi rayshifted with Medb to Ireland for their weekly date night and Hans blockaded his room so he won’t be disturbed while he works to his next deadline. Reines agreed to help for Professor’s sake too, but I could still really use his support.”

Iskandar looked back to Waver, shaking his head. As a servant, he could not betray the orders of his master. Even if he did refuse, she could always force Waver to fight for her with a command seal.

“I will attempt to get him out of bed, but may I fight alongside him?” Iskandar compromised, “I feel having me by his side will improve his morale.”

“Do whatever you must,” Gudako agreed, “Meet me in the control room as soon as you two are ready to go.”

Gudako and Mash rushed off to the control room, readying themselves to fight the intruders. Iskandar sighed, closing the door behind him. He walked over to the bed, pulling the pillow off of Waver’s head and kissing him gently on the forehead.

“I’m sorry my dearest,” Iskandar apologized, “But I fear Master demands your assistance.”

“Ugh… fucking slave-driver…” Waver groaned, “Get my coat, I’ll get going. I’ll be back once I’m done dispatching the threat.”

“I’m coming with you. Master at least let me have that as a compromise. Lady Reines will be there as well so at least you will have additional support.”

“A silver lining I guess…”

Waver stood up from the bed, pulling his red velvet coat and yellow scarf off of the coat rack and slipping them on.

“Well,” he said, “Let’s head out.”

Iskandar grabbed his hand, guiding him out the door and through the chrome halls of Chaldea. The alarm still blared, red lights flashing in the hall as servants and staff alike scrambled out of their rooms to find out what was going on. Soon enough, they reached the control room, walking through the metallic doors to see Gudako, DaVinci, Mash, Reines, and Kiara, all waiting for them by the rayshift coffins.

“You finally made it,” DaVinci beamed, “Allow me to brief you on the situation. At approximately 20:00, two strange men emerged from a portal in the east wing of Chaldea. Though I could not find spirit origins on them, I was able to make a guess on their classes and true names based on certain clues on their persons. One of them, a man in all black, covered in stitches, had the presence of an Eldritch being attached to him. The reading was similar to that of BB’s, but I have never heard of Nyarlathotep possessing more than one vessel at a time. His class is most likely Foreigner. As to his true name, I have two possible guesses. Either Victor von Frankenstein based on the scars and stitches, or HP Lovecraft due to the bizarre nature of him being bound to an Eldritch whom we already know has a vessel.”

“Lovecraft?” Mash wondered, “Wouldn’t that mean he’s a Grand Foreigner?”

“He could possibly be a pseudo servant like my brother and I,” Reines speculated, “That would also explain the stitches and white streaks of hair. I am certain that being the vessel of such a madman would put unbelievable stress on a mage’s body.”

“What of the identity of the other?” Iskandar wondered.

“His true name and class are more of an educated guess,” DaVinci confessed, “I am assuming that he is a Berserker due to his weapon of choice, a large battle ax. However, we cannot rule out the options of him being a Rider or Assassin. I suppose we will be able to discern his class upon engaging in combat with him. Regardless, it seems Miss Sessyoin will still be our best option for defeating them.”

“My, my,” Kiara blushed, “It will be my absolute pleasure to devour him.”

“What about his true name?” Waver asked, “Any guesses?”

“He wears the attire of a clergyman, so he might be someone tied to the church,” DaVinci guessed, “Perhaps Pope Urban II or Tomas de Torquemada.”

“So either the Pope who started the Crusades or the first Grand Inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition,” Waver deduced.

“I never expected the Spanish Inquisition to show up in Chaldea,” Mash gasped.

“No one would expect that!” Gudako replied, “Still, isn’t it odd seeing those two show up together? You wouldn’t think that an author and an inquisitor would be summoned at the same time.”

“Well, I suppose the same could be argued about Iskandar and I,” Waver added, “I’m beginning to think that Reines is correct about the Foreigner being a pseudo servant possessed by Lovecraft.”

“So, are we set on claiming their true names are HP Lovecraft and Tomas de Torquemada?” DaVinci confirmed.

“I think it’s a reasonable speculation,” Waver replied, “I feel it will be helpful in order to counter their Noble Phantasms. Since we are assuming Torquemada is a Berserker, perhaps we should have Reines on the front line with Kiara and I. Her Noble Phantasm will help mitigate some of his damage.”

“Anything for my dear elder brother,” Reines teased.

“Iskandar and Mash can wait in the backlines,” Waver suggested, “For our support, perhaps you should call on Abigail Williams or Mysterious Heroine XX. I seem to remember one of your fellow masters has made a contract with them.”

“Your strategies are amazing as always professor!” Gudako beamed.

“I just want to get this over with as soon as possible and then go to sleep,” Waver confessed.

“I’ll try to make it quick then,” Gudako replied, “If need be, I’ll use a command seal to speed things up. Let me just call upon Abigail and we can intercept the intruders.”

***

“What the hell is this place?” Curran wondered, “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“I haven’t the slightest idea myself,” Heinwald responded, “Perhaps we should investigate. But be on your toes. If we run into any hostiles prepare to engage and if we find potential allies, we must show them the olive branch of peace.”

“Wonder if anyone even lives here… It seems almost too pristine.”

“This world is clearly very different from ours, but I can see why the coordinates for it were the easiest to find. The leylines around here are clearly strong. I can sense mana overflowing from this stronghold.”

“That means your magic will be stronger then, right?”

“Of course, but I hope that I will not have to use it.”

Heinwald proceeded down the hall, the heels of his shoes clacking against the floor. Curran followed after him, his grip on his ax tight. Curran had a bad feeling about this place, like danger could appear at any moment. He knew that he and Heinwald were certainly strong enough to fend off any threat, but he still feared losing his partner or being trapped in this unknown world. Heinwald immediately stopped in his tracks, making Curran bump into him from behind.

“Why’d ya put on the breaks, Hein?” Curran asked.

“Chaldea Security Organization,” Heinwald said, “This place is the Chaldea Security Organization. It says so under this symbol on the wall.”

Curran gazed at the wall to his right, seeing a large moon with laurel branches around it.

“Chaldea, huh?” he repeated, “Wasn’t that the name of the magic academy you attended?”

“That was _Caldia_,” Heinwald corrected, “But still, it is odd how the names are similar. Why is it considered a security organization when the concentration of mana is so great here? This seems like it would be a mage’s paradise.”

“Maybe a security company snatched the property up before a mage could get to it?”

“Perhaps… Or it could very well be a mage’s workshop going under an alias as to not raise suspicion. Let us continue our search.”

Heinwald and Curran continued down the hall, eventually passing into an adjoining hallway, lined with metal doors.

“This might be the residential district,” Heinwald suspected.

“So like Prince Euden’s castle?” Curran asked.

“Well, I’m starting to think that my hypothesis about this being a mage’s headquarters is correct. The mana here seems even more concentrated. But that’s not all…”

“What is it?”

Heinwald ran his finger along the floor, sweeping up a small amount of rainbow-tinted dust.

“This,” Heinwald explained, “Is the residue left behind from summoning magicks. It requires a rainbow colored gemstone in order to perform the ritual, and the catalyst is immediately reduced to this ash like substance.”

“Wait,” Curran paused, “Don’t we have somethin’ like that in Grastaea? Like when Euden visits the Summoner and pays her Wyrmite to summon dragons?”

“Exactly. It appears we are in a Summoner’s workshop, and perhaps if we follow the traces of magic residue, we can find the summoner and those who they summoned.”

“Lead the way Hein.”

Heinwald squinted, looking around the hallway for places where the residue grew thicker, where the concentration of mana became more potent.

“This way,” Heinwald said, leading Curran down the hallway.

Eventually, they came across another metal door, engraved with the symbol of the organization.

“I think this is the room where they perform their summons,” Heinwald speculated, “Just look at all of the residue under the door’s crack.”

Curran squatted down, taking a look at the pile of rainbow dust swept haphazardly under the doorway.

“Do you think the Summoner is in there?” Curran wondered, gripping at his ax.

“I don’t know. The mana is so concentrated around here I can’t tell if there is a mage inside or not.”

“How ‘bout we go inside and find out?”

Heinwald shook his head, “You don’t intend to break down the door, do you Curran?”

“Well, it’s like you said with your magic. As long as it works, the method doesn’t batter,” Curran smirked.

“It’s doesn’t _“matter”_ Curran…” Heinwald sighed, “Regardless I don’t think breaking down a door with brute force would be the best method to convey our intentions of forging an alliance. Allow me to try opening it with magic first.”

Heinwald raised his staff, muttering an incantation as mana swirled around the tip. He pointed it at the door, targeting the locking apparatus. Mana surged from his staff, crawling into the crevices between the door itself and the doorway. Suddenly, Curran heard the click of the door unlocking, the door soon after sliding open.

“It worked?” Curran said, shocked.

“It appears so,” Heinwald replied, “Now, let us proceed inside with caution.”

Curran held his breath, carefully stepping into the dark room. As soon as he set foot inside, the dark room illuminated red and an alarm blared in the hallway.

_“UNREGISTERED MASTER OR SPIRIT ORIGIN DETECTED,”_ the alarm cried, _‘”INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!”_

“What did you do?” Heinwald scolded.

“I dunno!” Curran replied, “I just stepped inside and the alarm went off!”

“They must have had it rigged to prevent unwelcome guests. Perhaps we’ve overstayed our welcome.”

“Well, looks like the people of this universe ain’t the alliance type. Use the otherworld fragments and let’s get out of here!”

Heinwald reached into his pocket, reaching around for the otherworld fragments to send them home. His heart dropped as he pulled his hand out. The otherworld fragments had turned to dust upon entry to this new world.

“This isn’t good,” Heinwald gulped.

“What do you mean, Hein?” Curran fretted.

“Look for yourself.”

Heinwald stretched out his hand, revealing the remnants of what was once the otherworld fragments.

“No…” Curran cursed, “So we’re stuck here?”

“It… it appears so…” Heinwald sighed.

As if things couldn’t get any worse, Heinwald heard footsteps running towards him.

“Just our luck…” he grumbled, “Curran, prepare for battle. We’ve got company…”


	3. Chapter 3

“This is the final formation of the great strategist,” a voice said from afar.

Stone pillars materialized out of thin air, surrounding Curran and Heinwald and trapping them.

“What the hell is this?” Curran grunted, “I can’t move…”

“Me neither…” Heinwald hissed.

Suddenly, their attacker came into view. He was a tall man in a long, red coat. His long, brown hair went down to his hips and he gazed at Curran and Heinwald through his piercing green eyes. The mysterious man brandished his feathered fan, making the stone columns glow.

“Unreturning Formation!” he shouted, “Try to break it if you will.”

Curran and Heinwald felt their energy being sapped, their defenses weakening under the stone sentinel maze. To make their already bad situation worse, the long haired man had company: a short girl with blonde hair in a blue military uniform, a woman in a nun’s uniform, a young girl in all black with a stuffed animal, a muscular, bearded man in leather armor, and a buxom teenage girl in black armor, carrying a massive shield.

“Six against one, huh?” Curran said, “Doesn’t seem very fair.”

“Silence Torquemada!” the girl in military attire shouted, “What business do you have coming here? Why is Lovecraft with you? Did an enemy Master send you to sabotage our Chaldea?”

“Torquemada?” Curran repeated.

“Lovecraft?” Heinwald wondered.

“Look miss,” Curran replied, setting down his weapon, “I don’t know who you’re talking about, but we come in peas.”

“It’s ‘we come in peace,’ Curran…” Heinwald sighed.

“Wait a minute,” the girl in black armor gaped, raising her visor, “So you aren’t H.P. Lovecraft and Tomas de Torquemada?”

“No, my name’s Curran and this is my partner Heinwald,” Curran introduced, “We kinda ended up here by accident when my partner’s experiment went awry.”

“Awry?” Heinwald scoffed, insulted, “It was going just fine until the otherworld fragments disappeared…”

“Master, they say that they come in peace,” the brown haired man shouted, “Should we believe them or kill them for trespassing?”

A girl with red hair emerged from the crowd of warriors.

“Hmm…” she said, “It would appear they aren’t servants after all, and that Curran fellow set down his ax. I don’t see a reason to doubt them.”

The brown haired man glared at Heinwald, staring a hole in him.

“Curran seems trustworthy enough, but I am hesitant to accept that his partner isn’t a clear and present danger,” he sneered.

“You consider me a threat?” Heinwald replied, “Heh, I am flattered that a fellow mage thinks so highly of me.”

“What was your experiment anyway?” he questioned, “What are those ‘otherworld fragments’ of which your partner speaks?”

“Well,” Heinwald explained, “Incredulous as it sounds, my partner and I are from a different world than yours. I am pleased to see that magic is still present in your universe but the technology you have is far more advanced than that of our world. We ventured here by crossing the space between worlds, using fragments of condensed black mana that we call ‘otherworld fragments.’ Unfortunately, their integrity was not preserved upon entering this world and we are now trapped here.”

“Why did you come here?”

“Our homeland, Grastaea, is currently embroiled in a war of succession. The former kingdom of Alberia has been usurped by an ancient evil known as Morsayati, and our liege, the seventh scion of Alberia, Prince Euden, is attempting to take his kingdom back. We have been using otherworld fragments to trap fiends in the space between worlds and dispatch them in an area that will not harm any civilians. However, I recently came to the conclusion that this space between worlds can be used to travel to other universes, as several of our allies come from the far off world of Askr. So to answer your question, we did not come here to do you harm. Instead, we ventured here to find allies who are willing to help our cause.”

The red haired girl turned to the brown haired mage, thinking about what Heinwald had just told them.

“Caster,” she said to the brown haired man, “Release them from your Noble Phantasm.”

The brown haired man gritted his teeth, looking at her in disbelief.

“Master, are you certain that is wise?” he snapped, “Though we have confirmed that they are not a threat, there is still the fact that DaVinci sensed the presence of an Eldritch God bound to one of them! I know that we have dealt with Foreigners before, but it is still too risky to trust them!”

“Eldritch God?” Heinwald replied, “Might you be referring to Nyarlathotep?”

“Yes,” the Master replied, “Here, we have a woman who is possessed by Nyarlathotep as well. If she loses control of it, she has the potential to become a threat to humanity, so I can slightly understand Caster’s paranoia.”

“Worry not,” Heinwald assured, “Nyarlathotep from our world is simply the dragon I am pactbound to.”

“Dragon? Pactbound?” the girl in black armor wondered, “I do not understand.”

Heinwald smirked, “Well then, do you mind if I demonstrate the proof of my pact?”

“Hein, I’m not so sure that’s a good idea,” Curran worried, “It might freak ‘em out.”

“I was just going to show them the pactstone,” Heinwald sighed, “Honestly, did you think I was going to turn into a dragon in front of them?”

“I wouldn’t put it past you…”

Heinwald scowled at Curran before pulling a glowing crystal out of his pocket.

“This,” he explained, “Is my pactstone. It allows me to call upon Nyarlathotep’s power in battle. Because of my bonds with Prince Euden, a prince with dragonblood, I am able to transform into this dragon when I call upon it and can easily control its actions. This stone is probably what you were sensing, but I assure you Nyarlathotep is not possessing me. It might be better to consider it the opposite; that I am capable of possessing Nyarlathotep.”

“So people in your world can turn into dragons?” the Master replied, “We have a few servants like that here at Chaldea like Kiyohime and Sieg, but I had no idea it was so common in other worlds.”

“Well not everyone can do it,” Heinwald informed, “Prince Euden is just a special exception. Typically, only those with the blood of dragons can transform, however, Prince Euden has a special ability that enables his allies to share his power. Even as a seeker of truth, I have yet to unravel the reason behind it.”

“Well, it doesn’t seem like you two are enemies,” the Master concluded, “Everyone, you are free to retreat. I will try to set up a room for them and we will host them in Chaldea until they can find a way home.”

“Host them in Chaldea? Have you lost your mind Master?” Caster objected, “Can we at least take the crystal from his possession?”

“I’m not sure Nyarlathotep would like that,” Heinwald warned, “Dragons are volatile creatures, and as a denizen of chaos, a god of the abyss, I can only imagine the havoc they would cause if not under my command.”

“Is that a threat?” Caster snapped.

“Think of it what you will,” Heinwald scoffed.

He lost his temper, leaving his formation to approach Heinwald. Heinwald didn’t even flinch as the long-haired mage grabbed his collar, his eyes brimming with rage.

“Don’t fuck with me!” Caster hissed, “I don’t care if Master thinks that you’re a friend. Know that I don’t trust you and I doubt I ever will.”

“I see no reason why you despise me so,” Heinwald replied, “That is, unless you’re projecting onto me. Why do I get the feeling that the two of us aren’t so different deep down?”

Caster gritted his teeth, releasing his grip on Heinwald’s collar.

“I’m going back to my room,” Caster grumbled, “Rider! We’re leaving.”

“As you wish,” the large, red haired man replied.

Caster stormed down the hallway with the bearded man in tow, disappearing around the corner. Several other party members left as well, leaving only the Master and the blonde girl in the military uniform in the hallway with Heinwald and Curran.

“I believe we have an extra room available near the infirmary,” the Master informed, “By the way, I don’t think I properly introduced myself. My name is Gudako. I am the master here at Chaldea.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Curran greeted.

“I need to get back to mission control to let DaVinci know that it was a false alarm, but Rider here can show you to your room,” Gudako said, “I’m sorry that you are stuck here for now, but I hope we can make your stay here as enjoyable as possible until you can return to your world.”

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Heinwald bowed.

Gudako turned on her heel, heading back to Chaldea’s mission control, while the blonde girl who she called “Rider” got a closer look at the new guests.

“I apologize for my brother’s behavior,” the girl said, “He’s probably grumpy from a long day of work.”

“You are his sister?” Heinwald wondered.

“Yes, my name is Reines El Melloi Archisorte,” she replied, “But I am bound to the Rider class servant Sima-Yi. My brother is Lord El Melloi II, bound to Caster class servant Zhuge Liang.”

“Lord?” Curran wondered, “So he’s a noble like you, Hein.”

“Noble?” Reines giggled, “He is a Lord in title alone. Though I suppose it doesn’t matter as we are now both servants, he owes a great debt to me and my family.”

“That’s something I have been wondering for a while now,” Heinwald interrupted, “What is the significance of calling you warriors ‘servants?’ And why do you go by class names like ‘Rider’ or ‘Caster’ instead of your actual names?”

“Ah, Holy Grail Wars must not exist in your world,” Reines discovered, “Allow me to explain as I show you to your room.”

She poured out a vial of mercury, the silver liquid forming into the shape of a maid.

“Trimmau,” she ordered, “Carry their weapons.”

“As you wish, milady,” Trimmau responded.

Curran stepped back in shock as the mercury golem picked up his ax and took Heinwald’s staff.

“Follow me,” Reines instructed.

Curran shook his head, following Reines, Heinwald, and the mercury maid down the hallway back to the residential area.

“So, you were wondering about servants and classes,” Reines began, “In this world, mages have a ritual called The Holy Grail War. It is an intense battle where a mage summons a hero from the past to fight for them. The mage is referred to as the ‘master’ while the spirit is the ‘servant.’ Servants fall into seven distinct classes for a classic Holy Grail war: Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Caster, Assassin, and Berserker, but things are a bit different here in Chaldea. Unlike most Holy Grail Wars where a master can summon only one servant, our master has contracts with multiple servants, and the number of classes is not restricted to the classic seven. We also accommodate classes typically only found in Great Grail Wars or Moon Grail Wars, such as Ruler, Avenger, MoonCancer, AlterEgo, and Foreigner.”

“Foreigner,” Heinwald repeated, “Your brother mentioned that. What does that class entail?”

“When you two initially appeared here, we originally thought that you were a Foreigner and Berserker. Foreigners are outliers among heroic spirits, as they are figures of the past who have been possessed by Eldritch Gods and corrupted by their influence.”

“So because I had my pactstone, you believed that I was possessed by Nyarlathotep.”

“Exactly. It was quite odd though, because we already have a servant in our ranks who is possessed by that very deity.”

“The Nyarlathotep from your universe clearly must be different from mine.”

“Well, our Nyarlathotep certainly isn’t a dragon. Regardless, I find the concept fascinating. Your universe being able to draw upon legendary dragons and deities is not unlike the pseudo servants of our world. I bet you wouldn’t believe that the servant possessing me is an elderly Chinese general.”

“I definitely would not have guessed that by looking at you. I simply thought you were a prodigal warrior.”

“You flatter me. I wish my brother had half of your tact.”

Curran shook his head.

“I wouldn’t exactly call Heinwald tactful Miss Archisorte,” Curran sighed.

Reines giggled, “Reines is fine. I see no need for formal titles when I’m speaking with a fellow mage of nobility and his partner.”

Reines stopped in front of a large steel door, spotting Gudako and a petite woman with long brown hair standing in front of it.

“Ah you must be our guests,” the brown haired girl smiled, “I am Leonardo DaVinci, a key faculty member here at Chaldea and certified beautiful genius!”

“Pleased to meet you,” Curran said.

“Charmed,” Heinwald nodded.

Gudako fished into her pocket, pulling out two keycards before handing them to Heinwald and Curran.

“Here are the keys to your room,” she said, “Just hold them up to the scanner and the door will open. I fear our rooms aren’t the most spacious, but we can bring in an additional bed if you desire.”

“One bed will be fine,” Heinwald replied, “I do not wish to impose on you for so graciously hosting us until we can find a way to return home. Besides, Curran and I share a room and a bed back in our homeland.”

Reines cocked an eyebrow, “Ho? So you are partners in more than one sense of the word? How interesting.”

“Is that a problem?” Heinwald asked.

“Not in the slightest,” Reines chuckled, “It would be quite hypocritical for me to be repulsed when my brother…”

“Could you keep the bloody noise down?” a familiar voice interrupted.

The door to the room next door slid open, and the long-haired mage from before stepped out. He had since changed into far more comfortable attire, a tee shirt with “Admirable War Tactics” written across the chest and a pair of sweatpants, and his hair was tied back into a loose, low ponytail, not unlike Heinwald’s hairstyle. He sneered when he spotted Chaldea’s “guests” outside of his door, holding keycards to the room to their right.

“Oh for fuck’s sake…” he cursed, “Master, did you have to give them the room next to mine?”

“Sorry professor,” she said, “It was the only open room we had ready at the moment.”

The red haired man appeared behind him, flicking him sharply on the forehead and making him collide with the hard chrome doorway. He smiled welcomingly at Curran and Heinwald.

“So you two are to be our new neighbors?” he grinned, “Feel free to come over for drinks or games any time you desire.”

The brown haired man hobbled to his feet, a red welt forming on his forehead between his sharp frown lines.

“Iskandar I don’t believe I agreed to this,” he hissed.

“Come now Waver, there is no need to be so cold with them,” Iskandar scolded, “They came here to make allies, and as a king I would gladly break bread with anyone who would pledge their fealty.”

“Honestly brother, you’re just making an ass of yourself,” Reines sighed, shaking her head in contempt, “Or perhaps you’re just disappointed that you’ll have to try to keep your voice down from now on.”

Waver’s face went bright red, “REINES!”

Heinwald raised a brow, “Ah, so that’s what you meant. This is, rather interesting. It appears we truly aren’t that different after all, Lord El Melloi.”

“IT’S LORD EL MELLOI II!” he snapped.

Waver stormed back into his room, grumbling and plopping down on the bed. Iskandar however stayed outside with the rest of the group, closing the door behind him so Waver could have his space.

“Well,” DaVinci interjected, “Please enjoy your stay. If you get hungry or bored, I can have a staff member show you to the dining commons, the library, the gym, or any of our other facilities.”

“There will be no need for that, Miss DaVinci. I can give them a tour of the premises,” Iskandar offered.

“How kind of you,” Heinwald replied.

“I feel it is the least I can do to make up for my beloved’s rudeness,” Iskandar rubbed the back of his neck, “He normally isn’t like this. I deeply apologize on his behalf.”

“Ah it’s no big deal,” Curran assured, “We’ve gotten far colder welcomes in the past.”

“It’s getting late,” Gudako said, “I think I’m going to turn in for the night. Iskandar, can I leave them in your care?”

“Of course, girl,” Iskandar replied, “If you need assistance with anything, do not hesitate to come ask me. I’ll be right next door after all.”

Iskandar held out his hand to shake, grinning ear to ear. Curran accepted the handshake, firmly gripping his palm and shaking it as a pledge of camaraderie.

“Thanks for your hospitality, Iskandar,” Curran said, “We’ll try not to be a bother.”

“I’m certain that you won’t be one,” Iskandar responded, “I look forward to getting to know you and your partner.”

“You know I wouldn’t mind taking you up on that offer for a drink. I can never turn down a good pint of ale.”

“Perhaps we can drink tomorrow eve. I have a feeling I will be getting an earful from Waver tonight.”

Curran put a hand on Iskandar’s shoulder.

“Good luck,” he encouraged.

“We should probably get some rest as well,” Heinwald said, “It has been a long day.”

“Fine, fine,” Curran replied.

Heinwald held up his keycard to the sensor, making the chrome door slide open. He grabbed Curran’s hand and nodded to his new neighbor before pulling him inside and closing the door. Iskandar shook his head. Curran and Heinwald seemed like nice enough people. He was shocked that Waver could be so cold to them. He opened up the door to see Waver sulking on the bed, his Nintendo Switch in his hands. Iskandar sat down next to him, stroking his hair as he watched his lover play his game to alleviate some of his anger.

“Boy,” Iskandar cooed.

Waver didn’t respond. He simply continued playing his game, moving the goose on the screen to torment the NPCs and cause as much havoc as possible.

“Come on Waver, please talk to me,” Iskandar pleaded.

“Why don’t you just go over and talk with our new neighbors…” Waver grumbled.

“Why are you being so rude? This isn’t like you, and if I may be candid I do not like this side of you.”

Waver set aside his game, sitting up on the bed.

“Is it wrong of me not to trust a pair of strangers who claim to be from another world?” Waver pressed, “I can’t help but be suspicious.”

“There’s a vast difference between being suspicious and being outright rude,” Iskandar scolded, “Waver, I love you, but you mustn’t be so cold. Can’t you give Curran and Heinwald a chance? They say they wish for allies. I see no reason for you to act like this.”

“If it were just Curran, I could probably trust that their goal was an alliance, but I don’t trust Heinwald. Something just seems off about him…”

“Why don’t you try talking to him? He’s a mage like you. Perhaps you could find something in common and befriend him. I intend to do the same with Curran.”

“I will never be friends with him… I suppose I can’t change your mind about trusting them, but please don’t force me to interact with them. I’ll respect your decisions as long as you respect mine.”

“I guess that is the only compromise we can come to… You needn’t parley with them if you are so set on distrusting them, but try not to be so rude. If you don’t like them, just ignore them. Don’t go out of your way to voice your hatred. That will only earn you enemies, and I can’t stand seeing my lover hated.”

Iskandar kissed Waver on his forehead, pulling him in close to his chest. Waver sighed as he relaxed into Iskandar’s hug.

“Would playing a game cheer you up?” Iskandar suggested, “Perhaps we can play the new Luigi’s Mansion together.”

“I’d like that,” Waver smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

Waver groaned as his alarm clock went of, smacking the beeping device repeatedly to get it to stop. Feebly, the clock’s alarm stopped, as if begging for mercy after Waver’s violent protests. Waver nuzzled back into Iskandar’s chest, enjoying his warmth, his presence.

“Boy,” Iskandar whispered gruffly.

“Five more minutes…” Waver hissed.

“Won’t Master be disappointed if you don’t show up for the daily ember gathering quests?”

“I’m going on strike. Master can use a command spell if she wants me…”

Iskandar shook his head.

“You’re being so dramatic,” Iskandar sighed, “You’d make a splendid Creon.”

“Can’t I just sleep a bit longer?” Waver complained, “I’m exhausted. I was up all night thanks to our new neighbors.”

“Really? They seemed pretty quiet to me.”

“It wasn’t the noise that bothered me, it was the stress… I kept worrying that I’d end up inside of Heinwald’s dragon’s stomach if I closed my eyes…”

“Waver, you’re just being paranoid. I always thought you were quite gifted in logic, but it seems your prejudice has clouded your judgment.”

“Can you just let me go back to sleep? It’s not like you have to get dragged along on every quest…”

“While I do agree that Master has a tendency to overwork you, I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do about it as servants. How about we both get up and procure some breakfast at the dining hall? Perhaps a good meal and some tea will help to wake you up.”

“Fine…”

Waver crawled out of bed, changing out of his tee shirt and into his slacks, blazer, and coat. He draped his gold scarf over his shoulders and began to hastily brush out his hair as Iskandar changed into his leather armor.

“Waver,” Iskandar called out, “Would you mind helping me with my gauntlets? It is much easier to have someone else lace them up.”

Waver set down his hairbrush and walked over to Iskandar.

“Of course,” he replied.

Waver slid the tough leather gauntlet over Iskandar’s large hand, pulling the lace to tighten it around his forearm. He threaded the lace through the eyelets, twisting and pulling until the gauntlet was secure. Waver tied the remaining lace into a tight bow, knotting it so it wouldn’t come off during battle.

“Thank you, my treasure,” Iskandar grinned, kissing Waver on his forehead.

“No problem,” Waver blushed, “Now grab your cape. I’m tired and starving. I could really go for one of Emiya’s omelets.”

“That does sound delicious,” Iskandar replied, “Perhaps I’ll ask for one myself, with plenty of spinach and feta.”

Iskandar opened the door, showing Waver out into the hallway. They walked down the chrome halls until they reached the dining area. An amazing smell was already wafting from behind the door, making Waver salivate. He opened the door to the dining hall and headed over to the kitchen window. Normally Emiya, Raikou, Beni-Enma, Tamamo Cat, and Boudica would be hard at work making food for everyone, but today, they had an additional chef helping cook breakfast for servants and staff. It was none other than Curran. He was hard at work beside Emiya, flipping a delicious looking piece of French toast over on a griddle. Emiya looked over his shoulder as more servants and staff began to crowd around the window, enticed by the delicious smells from the kitchen.

“Breakfast will be ready shortly,” he shouted out, “I’ll have Tamamo Cat bring the food out when it’s ready.”

“Please be patient, woof~!” Tamamo Cat barked.

“Hey Archer,” Curran said, setting aside the finished piece of French toast onto an already large stack, “Want help with anything else?”

“Maybe you could start plating,” Emiya suggested, “Thanks for helping, Tomas. It’s always nice to have an extra set of hands with so many mouths to feed.”

“Your skill is no joke-dechi!” Beni-Enma chirped, “Perhaps I should look more into Spanish cuisine.”

“Haha, maybe…” Curran chuckled, “I guess I could share a few of my recipes with you, Chef Enma.”

“Curra- I mean, Tomas,” a familiar voice shouted from the crowd gathering by the window, “Are you done with the French toast yet?”

“Come on Heinwa- I mean… H.P…” Curran yelled, “You gotta wait for everyone else to be done. I can’t give you special treatment just cuz we were summoned together.”

Waver turned around to see Heinwald tapping his foot impatiently behind him.

“What are you doing here?” Waver scowled.

“What else?” Heinwald asked, “Getting breakfast.”

“Why are you and your partner addressing each other with different names… Do you have something to hide?”

“I believe it was your sister who first referred to us as H.P. Lovecraft and Tomas de Torquemada. Given that Miss DaVinci said our ability is on par with those of other servants here, wouldn’t it be logical to play along and claim to be servants?”

“Why should you bother? Master already knows that you aren’t servants.”

“Funny you should mention that. I ran into her on the way over here, and she was the one who suggested that Curran and I use those pseudonyms. Think of us like pseudo-servants. I assume that should be easy for you to grasp given that you are one yourself.”

“Why you… Are you calling me an idiot?”

“Not in the slightest, Lord El Melloi II. Now if you don’t mind me, I’m going to help myself to my partner’s delicious cooking. You should try some for yourself.”

Before Waver could say anything else, Heinwald had already grabbed a plate of French toast from the window and taken it to one of the tables to eat.

“Hey Professor!” Tamamo Cat yelled, “Whadya want for breakfast, woof~?”

“I’ll have one of Emiya’s omelets with tomato and basil,” Waver replied.

“I’ll get that for ya right now!” she replied, “And you, King of Conquerors? What’s your order?”

“Hmm,” Iskandar pondered, “Perhaps I will try the French toast today. I would love to taste our new servant’s cooking.”

Tamamo cat ran back to the kitchen’s line, grabbing their orders and silverware and bringing it out to the pair.

“Please enjoy, woof~!” she smiled.

The two carried their plates to a free table, sitting down to enjoy they meal. Waver looked from his plate to Iskandar’s. Though he hated to admit it, Curran’s French toast did look amazing. It looked perfectly fluffy and crisp with whipped cream and strawberries garnishing the dish. Neither he nor Iskandar particularly enjoyed sweets, but even he found himself tempted by the delectable aroma and beautiful plating of the meal.

Iskandar stuck his fork into one of the pieces of French toast, lifting it to his mouth and taking a big bite. Whipped cream smeared onto his nose as he chewed happily.

“Delicious!” he exclaimed, “Waver, you must try this.”

Iskandar shoved the piece of French toast towards Waver’s face, whipped cream dripping from the brioche onto his plate.

“I’ll pass…” Waver replied.

“Won’t you at least take a bite? This bread dish is incredible!”

Waver grumbled, parting his lips to take a small nibble of the French toast. As soon as he began to chew, his eyes lit up. That was the best French toast he’d ever had. The inside was perfectly soft and fluffy while the outside had a delicious crunch from the caramelized cinnamon sugar crust. A hint of nutmeg lingered on his palate, the warm spice making him feel like he was jumping into a bed of crisp leaves on a brisk autumn morning.

“Isn’t it delicious?” Iskandar beamed.

“It’s ok I guess…” Waver fibbed, “And you’ve got whipped cream on your nose you big idiot…”

Waver picked up his napkin to wipe the cream off of Iskandar’s nose. Iskandar pulled the piece of toast back to his own plate, grinning and licking his lips.

“Well then, more for me!” he cheered.

Waver sighed as he picked at the omelet. It was tasty, but after trying Curran’s French toast, it felt bland and lackluster in comparison. He looked around the dining hall, noticing that at least half of the staff and servants were eating the French toast. Curran had since joined Heinwald at his table, along with a few other servants who wanted to get to know them.

“So, you’re really Mr. Lovecraft huh?” BB asked Heinwald, “That’s so totally cool! You’re almost like a dad to Abby, Ooi, and I. Can I call you Papa?”

“If you wish to, Nyarlathotep,” Heinwald replied, “If only your Master had recruited Yog’Sothoth and Cthulhu into her ranks as well. I would love to speak with them.”

“Heh, that’s just like you, partner,” Curran chuckled, “Don’t we have enough children already?”

“I see no harm in Lathna gaining more sisters,” Heinwald replied, “Besides, it would do her well to meet another vessel of Nyarlathotep.”

“What am I to do with you,” Curran sighed.

“Tomas-dono!” Beni-Enma shouted, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but some of our younger servants just woke up-dechi. They really want your French toast, but I fear we’re beginning to run low. Would you mind coming back to make a few more batches?”

“Sure thing Chef!” Curran replied, standing up from the table to head back to the kitchen.

“It looks like they’re certainly starting to fit in,” Iskandar laughed, swallowing his last bite of French toast, “To think Heinwald has already gained the trust of a threat to humanity like BB.”

“It makes sense to me why she trusts him. They’re probably both equally crazy…” Waver mumbled.

“Waver, you should finish your breakfast. I fear your hunger is only making you grumpier.”

“I am not grumpy…”

“You sound pretty grumpy to me my treasure…”

“Sorry to interrupt,” a feminine voice interjected.

Waver and Iskandar turned to see Gudako and Mash standing by their table.

“Do you need me for the daily quests?” Waver asked.

“Actually, I was going to ask if you wanted to take the day off,” Gudako replied.

Waver’s eyes lit up in excitement, “Really? A day off? Master I would love that!”

“Wonderful! I’ll tell Heinwald to get ready for…”

“Wait, what? Are you taking _him_ on the mission instead of me?”

“Well, I told him that you’ve been awful tired from working so much, so he offered to take your place and let you rest. I was skeptical at first, but I took a look at his stats and he actually has a pretty good support type Noble Phantasm and an Arts buffing skill set.”

“Master I’ll go. You don’t need to take him…”

“Are you sure? You seemed so excited to get a break, I thought…”

“I’D TAKE IT IF IT WERE ANYONE BUT HIM!”

Gudako stepped back, frightened that Waver raised his voice at her. She shook her head before lifting her right hand, the red markings on the back glowing bright.

“By my command seal,” she chanted, “I order you, Caster, Lord El Melloi II to take the day off.”

One of the markings disappeared from her hand, and Waver suddenly became compelled to listen to her. As much as he hated being benched to Heinwald, he couldn’t disobey Gudako’s command, and he did need a day off. He set down his fork and looked at his half eaten omelet, muttering curses to himself.

“Well, this is nice,” Iskandar said cheerfully, “We’ll get to spend some time together today.”

Waver stood up from his chair, storming away.

“Where are you going?” Iskandar shouted, “Aren’t you going to finish your breakfast?”

“I’m going back to sleep!” Waver snapped.

He slammed the door to the dining hall, making most of the servants turn their heads in concern. Heinwald immediately approached Iskandar, who looked more worried than embarrassed.

“Is everything alright between you two? A lover’s quarrel?” Heinwald asked.

“I’m really sorry, Heinwald,” Iskandar apologized, “I have no idea why he’s being so cruel to you, especially since you offered to take up his duty today and let him rest.”

“Perhaps he thinks I’m attempting to replace him. I initially offered my services as an act of kindness, but I suppose I didn’t think this through. I should have considered the possibility that he would view my charity as spite.”

“I will certainly talk some sense into him. You don’t seem like a bad person, and though this may seem like an insult at the moment, I mean this with all the kindness and love I have for Waver; you remind me a lot of him.”

“Thank you, but you needn’t worry about his hatred of me. In my business, I am used to being judged on outside appearance. I probably have more people who despise me than I can count on my fingers. There have even been times where Curran and I have saved entire villages, yet we were still treated as monsters for disturbing their peace. If I let a little malice get to me, I never would have survived.”

“You would have made a fine general in my army, Heinwald. You have the spirit of a Conqueror.”

“I am flattered, but I fear my physical strength is a bit lacking. I primarily excel in magic, particularly healing arts.”

“Hein- I mean, Lovecraft,” Gudako interrupted, “We’re ready to go when you are.”

“I suppose I must be off,” Heinwald said, “It was a pleasure talking with you, King Iskandar.”

Heinwald followed Gudako and the rest of her party out of the dining hall over to the Chaldea gate, ready to tackle the daily missions. Iskandar picked up his empty plate and Waver’s half eaten omelet, ready to bus them back to the kitchen. As he dumped the remnants of Waver’s food into the trash and placed the empty plates on the rack to be cleaned, he was stopped by Curran, who was finally off cooking duty.

“Man I’m beat,” he sighed, “I’m used to helping Cleo out, but some of you servants eat more a bear. Where does that Artoria put it all? She came back for at least five extra helpings of French toast.”

“The King of Knights sure is a marvel when it comes to food,” Iskandar chuckled, “Her stomach is a bottomless pit. By the way, my compliments on that dish. I ordered a serving earlier and it was absolutely delicious.”

“Glad ya liked it. Figured if Hein and I are gonna be stayin’ here while we wait for him to figure out a way home, I might as well earn my keep.”

“You needn’t worry about that. You are guests here, yet it seems charity is naturally ingrained into the both of you.”

“Heinwald usually just goes anywhere that sparks his interest. Sadly I doubt he’d be willing to help with cleaning and maintenance, but I don’t mind putting in the shoulder grease.”

“Hmm, I always thought the expression was ‘elbow grease.’ Perhaps the term is different in your homeland?”

“Damn it not again…”

Iskandar chuckled, “You and your partner will certainly make interesting allies, and my offer still stands if you wish to drink with me tonight.”

“That sounds great actually,” Curran replied, “I dunno if Hein will want to join us though. The only drinks he likes are fruity cocktails and expensive wines. Me however, I’ll drink anything.”

“I’m certain that Shuten Douji could make a drink pleasing to his palate.”

“Well, I’ll see if he wants to tag along. I’ll definitely be there though. Can’t remember when I last had a relaxing night with a nice, cold glass of ale.”

“Then it is settled. I shall meet with you tonight to drink and make merry! Just knock on the door to my room when you wish to go. Master is fighting against assassin enemies today, which I unfortunately have a class disadvantage against.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Iskandar gripped Curran’s hand, shaking it firmly in camaraderie. It was looking like the beginning of a wonderful friendship.


	5. Chapter 5

Curran set down the massive pile of books on top of the nightstand, wiping his brow and turning his gaze to Heinwald.

“That’s all the books you needed?” he said jokingly, “Seems like light reading for you.”

“I didn’t want to hoard their library’s entire collection, Curran,” Heinwald replied, “I only grabbed what I considered essential.”

Curran looked up and down the stack of books. It would take him months to read all of this text, but knowing how much of an avid reader Heinwald was, he would probably have at least half of them done by the end of the night. He looked at the titles along the spines, trying to figure out what Heinwald was researching. Most of them were on magecraft and the theory of mana flow; no doubt Heinwald had selected these to try to find a way home. However, four of these books stood out from the bunch: _The Complete Works of H.P. Lovecraft, The Spanish Inquisition: A History, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, _and _The Life and Times of Alexander the Great._

“What’s up with these books, Hein?” Curran wondered.

“Well, I figured if we are posing as Torquemada and Lovecraft, I might as well attempt to learn as much about them as I can,” Heinwald told.

“Yeah, but what about the other two? _Romance of the Three Kingdoms_ and _The Life and Times of Alexander the Great_?”

“Those two stories tell of the life and times of our neighbors. Perhaps I could earn Lord El Melloi II’s favor if I study up on them.”

“You could just come and drink with Iskandar and I…”

“I have no time to waste on such frivolities, Curran. I must find a way to return to Alberia, and if we can return with new allies, it would be all the better.”

“Fair enough. Want me to bring you back anything?”

“I should be fine. Those quests were more tedious than challenging, and I was able to replenish my energy at dinner.”

“Alright. I’ll be back in a few hours. Love you.”

Curran kissed Heinwald chastely on the lips before heading out the door. He stepped over to the room next door, knocking on the metal doorway to let Iskandar know he was there. The door slid open, revealing the gargantuan, red haired man, now changed out of his armor and into a comfortable tee shirt and jeans.

“Ah, Curran.” Iskandar beamed, “Are you ready to go to the bar?”

“You know it,” Curran replied.

He looked over Iskandar’s shoulder to see Waver laying down on the bed, holding a glowing screen with grey controllers attached to each side. He wore what looked like earmuffs with a cord that connected them to the device.

“Hey there!” Curran said courteously.

Waver didn’t respond, still engrossed in his video game.

“He probably can’t hear you with the headphones on,” Iskandar sighed, “Waver, we’re leaving!”

Waver still didn’t respond, his frown knitting deeper into his brow as he cursed under his breath at his game.

Iskandar closed the door behind him, immediately hearing Waver curse as soon as the door closed.

“Is he ok?” Curran worried.

“He’s fine,” Iskandar informed, “He’s just playing Fire Emblem. I bet one of his units got crit to death by an enemy and he’s upset that he’ll have to restart the level.”

“Fire Emblem, you say?”

“Are you familiar with the series?”

“One of our allies, Marth, has a shield called the Fire Emblem. I never would have thought his weapon would appear in your world.”

“So in your world, Marth is one of your allies? I will have to let Waver know. I’m certain that he’d be willing to join your cause just to be able to fight alongside such an iconic hero. I know I would.”

“If Hein can figure out a way for us to get back home, I’ll gladly introduce you guys to him. He’s super down to earth.”

“Sounds wonderful, now let us be off to drink!”

The two made their way down the hallway, passing the chrome doors until they found Chaldea’s humble bar. Iskandar held the door open, allowing Curran to enter. The interior of the bar was far different from the design of most of the rooms. Instead of chrome, the walls were a more welcoming shade of blue, and the furniture, while still modern looking, was padded with blue velvet cushions. Multiple bottles of alcohol lined the wall behind the bar, and an old man with tidily coifed gray hair mixed a drink for his patrons. He poured the brown beverage into a glass and slid it down to a woman sitting on one of the stools. Her pink hair was tied back into a high ponytail and she wore a stylish black vest.

“Ho? Iskandar! Nice to see ya!” she called out, swishing her drink around the glass, “And you must be that new servant. Torquemada right?”

“Yeah, pleased to meet you,” Curran replied, “Mind if I ask your name, miss?”

The woman looked away embarrassedly, rubbing the back of her neck.

“I don’t think you’d be too happy with knowin’ my true name,” she confessed, “You Spaniards hated me. I pillaged an’ sunk a bunch of your cargo ships after all…”

“So you’re a pirate?” Curran wondered, “It doesn’t matter to me. I happen to be pretty good friends with a few pirates after all.”

“Heh, never woulda thought someone in the Spanish Inquisition would let bygones be bygones. Anyroad, the name’s Drake, Sir Francis Drake. I’m the woman who brought down the sun.”

“I often run into Captain Drake when I come here,” Iskandar explained, “And she knows her way around the spirits here. If anyone can recommend you a good ale, it’s her.”

“Aww, yer gonna make me blush, Iskandar,” she chuckled, “Oy, Moriarty! Get these lads a pint!”

“Of course,” the old man behind the counter replied.

Iskandar and Curran took their seats at the bar counter as Moriarty filled their glasses with the rich, golden brew. He slid them down to Curran and Iskandar, who immediately clinked their glasses together to toast.

“So, where’s Waver?” she wondered, “Still in a bad mood?”

“Yeah, he’s just playing video games to calm down,” Iskandar replied.

“Damn, I feel like it’s kinda my fault that he’s in such a bad mood,” Curran sighed, “He seems to really distrust my partner…”

“You needn’t blame yourself. I talked to your partner earlier, and he seemed kind enough,” Iskandar assured, “I just think Waver might be projecting his own insecurities onto him.”

Drake knocked back the rest of her drink, “Torquemada, you and Lovecraft are datin’? You’re just full of surprises aren’t ya?”

“Yup. He’s pretty eccentric, but he’s a great partner,” Curran praised, “No matter what sticky situation we end up in, I can always count on him to back me up.”

“Aww, ain’t that sweet,” Drake smiled.

She handed the empty glass back to Moriarty and got up from her stool.

“Wish I could stay longer, but I gotta get back to Master’s room,” Drake winked, “Promised her I wouldn’t drink too much tonight, but you lads enjoy yourself!”

As soon as she left the bar, Curran took a large drink of his ale. Drake seemed like a nice enough woman, but he was grateful that she left. Now he wouldn’t have to worry about using the codenames and could address himself and Heinwald with their real names.

“It is a shame that Waver and Heinwald don’t get along,” Iskandar commented, “I would love to take him on a double date with the two of you.”

“I’m sure that Heinwald would love that,” Curran stumbled, “Especially if we promise him dessert afterwards.”

“Oh? What kind of dessert?” Iskandar teased, raising his brow, “The kind that you enjoy in the dining room, or in the bedroom?”

“Both,” Curran replied, “He may look frail and nerdy on the outside, but on the inside that man has kinks and fetishes I never would have known existed.”

“Really?”

“Mhm, though it wouldn’t be good manners of me to reveal them in public.”

“I understand. I’m certain Waver wouldn’t be too happy if I discussed our bedroom activities with anyone else.”

“Hein definitely wouldn’t mind. I’m just refraining out of courtesy.”

“That’s fair. Now, I would love to learn more about your home world. Please tell me everything about Alberia.”

“It was always a calm place ‘til Morsayati came along. But still, even with war ragin’ across the continent, our Prince Euden has a way of makin’ everyone feel calm and at home. He takes in any and all refugees who were displaced or harmed by the Dyrenell Empire and is trusting almost to a fault.”

“Every ruler has their flaws, but he seems like he truly cares for his people.”

“He does. Euden’s always tryin’ to raise morale around his Halidom too. He’s constantly hosting parties to keep civilians hopeful and rally the efforts of his troops.”

“I would certainly love to have a drink with him.”

“Hell I would too, but he’s too young to drink.”

“A pity… still, this Alberia you speak of is interesting. I wouldn’t mind venturing there to see it for myself.”

“If Hein can figure out a way to bring us home, you’re more than welcome to come along with us. I’m certain he’s hard at work researching right now. He probably misses Lathna a bunch.”

Iskandar drained the rest of his pint before flagging Moriarty down for another.

“Lathna?” Iskandar wondered.

“She’s this little girl we take care of,” Curran informed, drinking the rest of his ale before calling for another as well, “I work for the Inquisition you see, and Heinwald helps me solve mysteries that the Church deems heretical. A while back, we came across Lathna when her village tried to sacrifice her to an ancient God. Ever since we saved her, she’s stuck to us like glue.”

“She probably considers you two her fathers. Waver actually has a pupil whose situation is not unlike hers as a matter of fact.”

“Really?”

“Her name is Gray. She was treated as a vessel for a divine spirit by her village as well, but Waver was able to save her. And oddly enough, they used to solve mysteries together by order of the Mage’s Association. He has quite the penchant for it.”

“Well whadya know, he and Hein really aren’t that different.”

Curran took another big swig of his drink, wiping the brew’s foam from his mouth.

“Bet it’d be interesting to watch ‘em try to solve a case together,” Curran laughed, “That is, if they’d be willing to set aside their differences.”

“That certainly would be quite the spectacle,” Iskandar replied, “Perhaps you can help me convince Waver to pursue amity with your partner. You two have certainly already garnered my favor. I will gladly consider any man who would drink and break bread with me a proud brother in arms.”

“Here here!” Curran cheered, raising his glass and downing its contents.

“Moriarty! Another round!” Iskandar called out.

“Heh, usually Cleo cuts me off after two drinks. If Hein can figure out a way to travel freely between our worlds, I’ll have to bring Ranzal and Vanessa over. I’m certain they’d be overjoyed at the prospect of bottomless drinks.”

“The more the merrier. I would love to get to know more of your allies over good drink.”

“Certain they would like that too.”

“Now, tell me more about this Halidom…”

***

Heinwald flipped through the pages of the dense book, trying to gather as much information as he could in a timely manner. Though this world still relied on mana for its magic, it all stemmed from one source, as opposed to Grastaea which had five different types. What was even more odd to him was the thick concentration of mana in bodily fluids, particularly those secreted during intercourse.

“Mana transfers, huh?” Heinwald chuckled, “Sounds like something right out of Philia’s erotic novels.”

He closed the book, setting it aside on his large stack of works that he had finished. Even after enjoying a nice dinner in the dining hall, Heinwald’s sweet tooth was crying out for a dessert. After absorbing so much information about the practice of magic in this world, Heinwald figured he had earned himself a break. He grabbed his keycard, heading out of the room and making his way to the dining hall. As he made his way down the hallway, a familiar, boisterous laugh assaulted his ears. He shook his head, following the sound of the laughter to the bar, only to find his partner and their neighbor completely intoxicated.

“Honestly Curran,” Heinwald sighed, “We have drinking cutoffs at the Halidom for a reason. I thought as an Inquisitor you’d be able to show some restraint.”

Curran turned around, his hair disheveled and his cheeks rosy from alcohol flush.

“Baaaabe,” he beamed, “Come on, don’t be a dick in the mud.”

“It’s ‘stick in the mud,’ Curran,” Heinwald scowled, approaching the bar.

Curran and Iskandar reeked of ale and based on the amount of liquor spilt across the wooden surface of the bar, they had both clearly had more than their fill.

“You smell dreadful,” Heinwald sneered, “Like an old drunkard…”

“Hein, don’t be mean,” Curran slurred, “I’m fine, I’m fine. Iskandar an’ I are just havin’ a good time. Ain’t that right, Isky?”

“Haha of course!” Iskandar bellowed, completely plastered as well, “Curran could probably give Shuten a run for her money. Congratulations on being able to outdrink me!”

“Just how many drinks did you two have?” Heinwald asked, not wanting to know the answer.

Curran dazedly looked at his hands, counting on his fingers to recall how many pints of ale he drank.

“I think…” Curran grumbled, “Seven or eight? All I know is that I beat Isky by one.”

“Oh for heaven’s sake…” Heinwald sneered, “It’s a miracle you haven’t vomited yet…”

“Well, even if I do get sick, I at least have you to take care of me,” Curran smiled cheesily, kissing Heinwald sloppily on the lips, “I loooove you babe.”

“I love you too, but I doubt you’ll feel the same tomorrow,” Heinwald sighed, “I do have a hangover curative recipe, but I still have yet to get rid of the foul taste. To quote Ranzal, my test subject, it tasted ‘like the inside of a dragon’s ass’.”

“Hein do you get off on torturin’ me or somethin’?” Curran groaned.

“Of course not. I actually have taste,” Heinwald hissed.

“That’s debatable…” Curran chuckled.

Heinwald glared at Curran before shifting his gaze to Iskandar.

“Please tell me that you two are done drinking for the night…” Heinwald hoped.

“Ideally I’d try to sober up a bit and go a few more rounds,” Iskandar confessed, “But I’m sure Waver would probably kill me.”

“I will leave your lecture to him then,” he scolded, “Though I’m certain that the hangover both of you dolts suffer tomorrow will be a suitable punishment. Can you even walk back to the rooms?”

“Umm, I can try…” Curran mumbled.

Curran attempted to stand up from the barstool, only for his balance to crumble underneath him. Heinwald tried to catch him, but with little time to respond, he ended up falling to the ground as well, landing underneath him.

“Guess I might need some help,” Curran giggled, “Thanks for cushioning my fall babe.”

“I’m going to kill you Curran,” Heinwald growled, “Now get off of me! You’re crushing me.”

“Nah, you’re warm,” Curran cooed, nuzzling against Heinwald.

A vein popped in Heinwald’s forehead, “CURRAN!”

“Come on babe,” Curran whined, “Always thought you liked it when I cuddled you.”

“Not when you’re shitfaced and putting all of your weight onto my body…” Heinwald choked, “Iskandar! Can you help get him off of me?”

“Sure,” Iskandar replied.

He got off of his stool, kneeling down to roll Curran off of Heinwald. Heinwald took a deep breath in, his chest no longer being crushed, and sat up.

“Thank you,” he breathed, “At least you have enough motor skills to…”

Before Heinwald could finish his sentence, Iskandar collapsed into his lap, half drunk, half asleep. Heinwald rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“Wonderful…” he groaned, “Looks like I spoke too soon…”

He wriggled out from under Iskandar. Though he was larger than Curran, at least he had collapsed on his lap instead of his whole body. He looked down in shame at the two drunk men, massaging his temples in frustration.

“Looks like I have to go get help if you don’t want to sleep on the bar floor tonight,” he sighed, “Do try not to choke on your vomit while I’m gone…”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back from the dead. Sorry about the hiatus

“Come on Lysithia, please land that hit…” Waver grumbled at his switch, squinting his eyes in anticipation.

The white haired girl on the screen conjured a multitude of dark lances out of thin air, pointing them at the mounted knight in black, ominous armor. To his dismay, the knight jumped out of the way of her spell, swinging his scythe as he prepared to counter attack. The screen flashed red, zooming in on the knight’s skull-like helmet as he readied to strike, slashing the mage girl with a fatal critical hit.

“GOD FUCKING DAMN IT!” Waver cursed.

Suddenly there was a knock at his door. He put his game into sleep mode and set it on the nightstand. Surely it was Iskandar coming back from his night out drinking. Unfortunately for him, the person in his doorway wasn’t his partner, but the new neighbor who he despised, Heinwald.

“What are you doing here?” he hissed, “Your partner isn’t here, so leave me alone.”

Heinwald caught the door as Waver attempted to shut it in his face.

“I am well aware of that,” Heinwald informed, “He and _your_ partner are inebriated out of their minds at the bar. Unfortunately I am not strong enough to carry the both of them back by myself, so I was wondering if you could lend a hand.”

“Why ask me? I’m not the strongest either.”

“Even if you don’t come to help, I figured I should at least let you know about Iskandar’s condition. I know I would want the same if Curran had yet to come home after a night of drinking.”

“Is he hurt?”

“No, just passed out drunk.”

Waver shook his head.

“What a pain…” he grunted, “Though I’m not certain how much help I’ll be, I suppose I have no choice but to come with you.”

“I’m glad we could reach an understanding,” Heinwald replied.

“Don’t think this means we’ve buried the hatchet. I still don’t trust you.”

“You don’t have to. As long as you don’t interfere with Curran and I trying to return home, I see no reason to reciprocate your hatred and distrust.”

Before Waver could say anything else, Heinwald had already turned around to head back to the bar. Waver quickly grabbed his robe, throwing it on top of his casual wear and following him down the chrome halls of Chaldea. Neither of the two said a word to each other the walk over, Heinwald in an attempt to avoid conflict, Waver in suspicion. Though he still couldn’t bring himself to trust Heinwald completely, Waver did appreciate the fact that he showed concern for both of their partners. He couldn’t say much about his other qualities, but Waver was glad that Heinwald was at the very least capable of empathy. They soon arrived at the bar, opening the door to see Curran and Iskandar, still asleep on the floor.

“You really weren’t kidding…” Waver sighed, “They’re fucking sloshed.”

“It would be best to just get them to lay down in bed,” Heinwald explained, “When they wake up, I’ll grab them some water. Now can you lend me a hand?”

Heinwald knelt down next to Curran, attempting to lift his arm around his shoulder. Waver shook his head. If Heinwald was struggling to help Curran up, he could only imagine how difficult it would be for him to lift Iskandar. Reluctantly, he crouched down as well, throwing Curran’s other arm over his shoulder.

“We lift on three,” Waver instructed, “One… two… three.”

Together, they hoisted Curran up off of the ground. His body was as limp as a ragdoll and thanks to his dense muscles, heavy. Heinwald was grateful that Waver could at least set aside his differences for now. There was no way he’d be able to carry Curran or Iskandar back to their rooms, let alone both of them. They dragged Curran out the door, taking him back to his room. The smell of booze still lingered on his clothing, making Heinwald wretch. As they approached the door to their room, Curran began to stir.

“Hein…” he grumbled, “Don’t feel so good…”

“Do you feel like you’re about to vomit?” Heinwald asked, “Do you need me to take you to the bathroom?”

“Head hurts…” he groaned.

“I’ll get you some water and a curative when I can,” Heinwald sighed, “Right now we need to get you into bed.”

“Mhm…” Curran hazily replied.

He turned his head to the man on his other side, blinking to try to figure out if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

“You…” he murmured, “You’re Waver right? Iskandar’s boyfriend?”

“That’s correct,” Waver replied.

“Surprised your helpin’ out,” he said earnestly, “Thought you hated us.”

“Your partner agreed to help me bring Iskandar back to my room if I helped him carry you back,” Waver informed.

“Well thanks,” Curran smiled goofily, “Sorry for the trouble… Guess I went a bit overboard today.”

“More than just a bit, Curran,” Heinwald scolded, “I can understand one or two drinks, but eight is just ridiculous.”

“Eight?” Waver exclaimed, “Please don’t tell me Iskandar drank that much…”

“Nah… he drank seven…” Curran confessed.

Waver furrowed his brow and clenched his teeth.

“Will he ever learn?” Waver hissed.

Heinwald held up his keycard to open the door, bringing Curran inside and laying him down onto the bed.

“I’ll be back soon,” Heinwald said, kissing Curran on the forehead, “Try to get some rest.”

“Thanks babe…” Curran grunted, “And thanks to you too Waver.”

Waver turned up his nose, not even replying to Curran as he walked out the door. Heinwald pulled the covers over Curran, making sure he was comfortable before following Waver back to the bar. This time, they’d have to carry Iskandar back. Bringing Curran back was enough of a struggle, Heinwald could only imagine how difficult it would be to lug such a large man through the halls, even with Waver’s help. Fortunately for them, he was in far better condition than Curran, already regaining consciousness and some motor skills.

“Ah boy,” Iskandar chuckled, “And Heinwald too?”

“Thank goodness you’re awake…” Waver sighed, “I was worried you’d throw out our bloody backs if we had to carry you back to the room…”

Iskandar rubbed the back of his neck bashfully.

“I might still need some assistance walking back,” he confessed.

“What am I going to do with you…” Waver shook his head.

He and Heinwald hoisted Iskandar up, supporting him from each side as they guided him back to his room. Occasionally he would wobble, almost making the three of them topple over, but with enough concentration, the trio was able to make it back without any slips. As soon as they made it back to the bedroom, Iskandar collapsed on the bed, falling back asleep on top of the covers.

“Shall I grab him some water as well?” Heinwald offered, “I was planning on getting a glass for Curran.”

“I can take care of him on my own,” Waver responded coldly, “He’s _my _boyfriend.”

“You say that like you think I’m after him. Need you forget that I have a boyfriend as well?”

“Yeah and I helped you carry him back to your bedroom now can you leave me alone?”

Heinwald sighed, shaking his head, “As you wish.”

Without another word, he turned around, leaving the room to allow Waver and Iskandar their privacy. Waver sat down on the bed next to Iskandar, stroking his now disheveled red hair.

“Seems like you had a bit _too much_ fun tonight,” Waver groaned, “I knew those strangers were a bad influence.”

“Waver,” Iskandar grumbled sickly, “Please do not place the blame on Curran. I was the one who suggested the drinking contest in the first place.”

“Still, even if you’re a servant, I would hate to see you make yourself sick. You must take better care of yourself.”

“I will. I’m sorry I drank so much tonight, my treasure. Thank Zeus I have you to take care of me until I am well.”

Waver smiled gently. Iskandar had a charm about him that always made Waver forget why he was upset. He could never stay mad at his king who he loved so much.

“By the way Waver,” Iskandar grunted, “I learned something interesting about our neighbors.”

“Really?” Waver replied, trying to feign interest, “Do tell.”

“They have a child they look after too. A little girl named Lathna. From what Curran told me, they rescued her much like how you took Gray under your wing.”

Waver was genuinely surprised. He never would have expected Heinwald to be a father figure to someone. He seemed like the kind of man who would abhor children. Perhaps he shouldn’t judge a book by its cover after all.

“A little girl?” Waver asked.

“Curran said she’s about 9 years old,” Iskandar informed, “A quiet, bookish little girl who was cursed with a natural affinity towards Abyssals. Because of that her own village tried to use her as a vessel to revive a deity of the Abyss.”

“That… That really does sound like what happened to Gray. The poor child.”

“But it sounds like she’s in good hands now. The master of their home base allowed her sanctuary in his Halidom, and Curran and Heinwald take care of her as her guardians. Curran taught her martial arts, and she’s apparently quite gifted with a lance, while Heinwald reads to her, teaching her magic theory on the off chance she decides to trade her polearm for a wand.”

“I had no idea…”

Waver felt a pang of guilt. He wouldn’t know what to do with himself if he was separated from Gray or Reines like Curran and Heinwald were with Lathna. Given neither of the girls were helpless in the face of danger, but he felt a sense of responsibility towards preserving their well being and keeping them safe. No doubt Heinwald felt the same for Lathna, and the poor child probably missed her guardians greatly. Waver stood up from the bed and straightened out his clothes.

“My treasure?” Iskandar wondered, “Where are you going?”

“Just next door,” Waver replied, grabbing his coat, “I’ll be right back.”

He opened up the door to his room, shutting it behind him as he walked to the next door over. Guilt sat like concrete in his gut. Waver had cursed, shamed, and distrusted Heinwald and Curran since their arrival, but now that he knew what they were really fighting for, he felt that he needed to apologize. He took a deep breath, knocking gently on the door. His hair stood up on the back of his neck. Setting things right would be difficult after the way he treated him. Waver didn’t even know if Heinwald would accept his apology. The door slid open, and Heinwald’s brow raised in surprise when he saw who was standing in his doorway.

“Lord El Melloi II?” he asked, “Is something the matter?”

Waver looked away bashfully, “Iskandar told me… about your little girl. Lathna, was it?”

A small smile spread across Heinwald’s lips, yet his eyes looked melancholic. He truly did think of this girl like a daughter, like how Waver felt for Gray.

“Lathna…” he reminisced.

“Do you miss her?” Waver asked.

“Terribly. I hope she doesn’t think that Curran and I abandoned her. The poor girl has suffered so much. She doesn’t deserve to endure any more heartbreak.”

“She probably doesn’t think that! I bet she is worried, but from what Iskandar told me, you two are like fathers to her.”

Heinwald squinted in suspicion.

“Your assurance is welcomed, but… surprising…” Heinwald said, “I was under the impression that you despised my partner and I.”

Waver rubbed the back of his neck in shame, “I… I actually came here to apologize for that. It was wrong of me to assume you were a bad person based on first impressions alone. The things I said to you, the way I treated you… it was horrible… and all this time you bore with it for the sake of staying safe until you find a way back to your home and family… I’m terribly sorry. I don’t expect you to forgive me for what I did, but I needed to get this off of my chest. I wouldn’t be able to look Gray or Reines in the eye if I didn’t at least try to set things right.”

Heinwald chuckled, his melancholic look changing to a cathartic one.

“The fact that you apologized and owned up to your shortcomings is enough to show me that you’re truly a kind and trustworthy man. I’ve endured far harsher treatment from people who wouldn’t even think of apologizing, so the fact that you’re willing to do so is… refreshing to say the least. I forgive you, Lord El Melloi II.”

“You can call me Waver.”

Heinwald held out his hand, extending an olive branch of peace between the two of them, between their two worlds.

“Truce?” Heinwald suggested.

Waver took his hand, shaking it firmly, “Truce.”

“By the way, Waver,” Heinwald wondered, “Who is this Gray you mentioned?”

“She’s essentially my Lathna,” Waver informed, “I am her mentor, and her guardian. She is a bit older than your little girl, but based on what Iskandar told me, it sounds like the two of them endured a similar trauma, and are kindred spirits in terms of personality.”

“Perhaps when I find a way back to Alberia, I could see if the link between our worlds remains stable. I’m certain that Lathna would love to meet her.”

“Would you like me to help you research? I am a professor of magic after all. Though leaping between worlds is a subject I’m not entirely familiar with, I would be glad to help you find a way home. Two minds are better than one.”

“I’ll certainly take you up on that offer. I was doing a bit of research when you first came over, but it is rather late and I don’t want to disturb Curran. I fear he’s a bit of a light sleeper. Would you rather join me tomorrow?”

“You’re more than welcome to take your materials over to my room and work there. I’m wide awake, and Iskandar could sleep through an earthquake.”

“Is that so? Then would you mind helping me take some books over?”

“Of course.”

Heinwald showed Waver into the room. A pile of books was stacked onto the desk, some open, some bookmarked, some put to the side for later reading. Curran was fast asleep on the bed, drool leaking from his mouth as he snored away. Heinwald tip-toed past him, careful not to wake Curran up and grabbed several of the books, handing them over to Waver. As the two were about to leave the room, Heinwald stopped by the bed, kneeling down to kiss Curran on the forehead, right on his cross shaped scar.

“Babe?” he stirred, “You’re still up?”

“I’m going to go do a bit more research Curran,” Heinwald cooed, giving him another gentle peck on the lips, “I’ll see you in the morning and brew you that hangover curative.”

“Mmkay, love you.”

“Love you too.”

Heinwald stood up, walking over to Waver and the door, holding it open for him. Once they were both in the hallway, Heinwald reached into his coat pocket for the keycard and locked the door behind them. Waver gazed at Heinwald in surprise. He didn’t expect that kind of tenderness coming from him. It reminded him of how soft he and Iskandar were with each other.

“What is it?” Heinwald wondered, catching Waver staring “Are my glasses crooked?”

“No, it’s nothing,” Waver dismissed, taking out the keycard to his own room, “Now let’s get to work.”


	7. Chapter 7

Curran grunted as he stirred awake. If felt like his skull had been cleaved in with a hammer, and his stomach gurgled in irritation. As fun as it was, perhaps it wasn’t the best idea for him to drink so much last night. He crawled out of bed, fighting through the aches and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Hein,” he yawned, still half asleep, “You got any of that curative ready for me?”

To his surprise, there was no answer. He looked all around the room, even opening the door to the bathroom to check if he was in there, yet Heinwald was nowhere to be found. Could he be in the dining hall getting breakfast, or maybe the library doing some more research? Wherever he was, Curran needed to find him so he could get rid of this horrible hangover plaguing him. He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. Though his hair was a bit greasy and disheveled, he was happy that at least there were no stains on his shirt from alcohol or vomit. Curran had very little recollection of the events last night, cutting off after Heinwald first came into the bar, so finding out that he didn’t puke on himself was at least somewhat of a comfort. He ran his fingers through his hair, coifing it as best he could into his usual, half slicked back style, and headed out of his room. Just as he was about to begin his search for his missing partner, his hunt was cut short as he heard a familiar pair of voices cursing from next door.

“Shit!”

“Looks like it’s my victory once again.”

“I just taught you the mechanics of the game last night… How the hell are you so good at it already?”

“Hehe, it shall leave that as a mystery for you to discern the answer to yourself.”

Those voices sounded just like Waver and Heinwald, but he was in shock that the two would be speaking so cordially with each other. He was always under the impression that they would never get along. What happened last night to suddenly change that? He approached the neighbors’ door, knocking on it politely. It was opened soon after by Iskandar, who while in nowhere near as bad of a condition as Curran, still looked like death warmed over.

“Ah, Curran,” Iskandar grunted, “Come to pick up your partner?”

Curran looked over his shoulder, initially in disbelief that Iskandar would suggest he was there with them, yet his eyes did not deceive him. Heinwald and Waver were sitting side by side, holding strange, gray devices in their hands and staring at a glowing screen. Heinwald’s black robes were neatly folded beside him, and he wore a set of red silk pajamas that he must have borrowed from Waver. Save for being an inch or two shorter, Heinwald looked like he and Waver were about the same size. An announcement came from the screen, and two characters appeared on the stage, one a monster that reminded Curran a bit of Nyarlathotep, the other an elven woman in a pink dress. Once the announcer shouted “Go!” Heinwald and Waver began feverishly mashing the keys on their devices, causing the characters onscreen to engage in a mad melee.

“I’ll be damned,” Curran gaped, “He really is here.”

“He and Waver are a bit preoccupied playing Smash,” Iskandar informed “And given how focused they are, I’d recommend waiting to until their round is over. Would you like to come inside and wait with me in the meantime?”

“Umm… sure.”

Curran wedged into the room. With four people in here, it made Curran realize how much more cramped the rooms were in here than back at the Halidom. He and Iskandar sat down on the bed, watching Heinwald and Waver as they played their game. They sat shoulder to shoulder, leaning against each other and shouting in joy and stress as their character’s fought. Curran couldn’t believe his eyes. He was utterly amazed that the two of them could go from such a rocky relationship to becoming instant best friends over the course of one night, but before he could interrupt their game to ask Heinwald what happened, Iskandar held him back.

“I wouldn’t recommend coming between them at the moment,” Iskandar sighed, “I was just as puzzled as you were, waking up to find the two laughing, chatting and playing games like this, but if you step in right now, one or both might accuse you of sabotaging their victory.”

“Thanks for the warning.” Curran replied.

“But worry not, they each have one stock left and it appears the decisive moment of the game is upon them. Look.”

Curran looked at the screen, seeing a glowing, rainbow orb floating in the air above the stage. Both the monster and the elven girl jumped up, attacking the ball until it shattered, a rainbow aura now emanating around Heinwald’s character.

“NO!” Waver yelled.

“YES!” Heinwald exclaimed victoriously.

Waver’s character retreated across the stage, attempting to flee from the menacing aura surrounding Heinwald’s character.

“Stay away from me! Stay away from me!” Waver shouted.

“Come here Waver!” Heinwald chuckled maniacally, “You needn’t worry. I will ensure your death is quick and painless.”

“NO! GET AWAY!”

Heinwald’s character lunged toward’s Waver’s as he pressed the button on his controller to unleash his final smash. However, due to an unfortunate misclick, Heinwald’s attack went in the wrong direction, missing Waver’s character entirely.

“WHAT?” Heinwald gaped, “Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck…”

The tables had turned. Waver began laughing as he moved his character closer to Heinwald’s.

“WAIT NO! REDO! I DEMAND A REDO!” Heinwald begged.

“I’m sorry Heinwald, but there are no mulligans in Smash!” Waver cackled.

A bell rang and the back of the screen went red as the elven girl dealt her final blow to Heinwald’s monster, knocking him off the stage in slow motion.

Heinwald hung his head in defeat as Waver’s character struck a pose and the announcer proclaimed, “Zelda wins!”

“My victory streak… ruined…” Heinwald grumbled.

“How does that slice of humble pie taste?” Waver teased.

“Dreadful… I can’t believe my smash fired off in the wrong direction…”

“Normally I would get no joy from defeating someone based on a misclick, but I can’t help but feel satisfied after all of the rounds where you so cruelly punished my mistakes.”

Heinwald grumbled, putting down his controller and burying his face in his knees.

“Well, now that you’re done with that,” Curran interrupted, “I feel like you’ve got some explaining to do.”

Heinwald turned around to see Curran, painfully hung over and sitting next to Iskandar on the bed.

“Ah Curran,” Heinwald said, “Looks like you’re finally awake.”

“Did I sleep for a month or somethin’? Cuz I never would have thought I’d see the day you and Waver would so much as look at each other without sneering,” Curran confessed, “Let alone actually having fun together like this.”

Heinwald and Waver exchanged glances.

“Would you like me to tell him?” Waver offered.

“No that’s fine,” Heinwald responded, “I can tell him.”

Heinwald set aside his controller and stood up, approaching Curran.

“Well,” Heinwald explained, “Last night after you and Iskandar got completely wasted, I had to enlist Waver’s help to bring the two of you back to the rooms. I would have broken my back otherwise. After we brought you two back, Iskandar had the courtesy of telling Waver about Lathna, and Waver apologized for assuming we were bad people based on first impression alone.”

“I don’t believe I ever got to officially apologize to you, now that I think about it,” Waver interjected, “Curran, I am terribly sorry for how I’ve treated you and your partner.”

“Um, apology accepted,” Curran replied, “But I’m still kinda confused. I mean the apology is nice and all, but what made you come over here last night?”

“Initially it was for research,” Heinwald informed, “Waver offered to educate me on the nature of this world’s magic and helped me research methods of getting back home. We had a pretty productive time for the first few hours, but then our conversation devolved into our personal lives. We talked about our daughters, our sisters, our families, our gripes with nobility and corruption within our respective societies, and before we knew it, we realized that we have far more similarities than we do differences.”

“In all honestly, Heinwald’s presence is a breath of fresh air,” Waver confessed, “Before him, the only person I had to confide in other than Iskandar, Gray, and Reines was my former ‘best friend’ who was little more than a stalker funneling me funds in a feeble hope to get in my pants. I almost forgot how nice it is to have a friend with no ulterior motives. Were Heinwald there instead of him, I’m certain he would have had no strings attached to his acts of kindness and his charity would actually _be _charity.”

“Certainly… If only your adoptive family took rupies. I’m afraid the only ‘pounds’ I know of are used to indicate weight.”

“The thought is appreciated, but you really don’t have to. Now that I’m a servant, paying a debt to my adoptive family is the lowest of my priorities.”

“You said you did some research on how to get home,” Curran reiterated, “Find anything that might work?”

“I feel Waver might explain our findings more articulately,” Heinwald said, “Excellent teacher as he is, there are still a few things about this world’s magic that remain a mystery to me. I wouldn’t want to spread any possible misinformation, so would you mind telling him, Waver?”

“Gladly,” Waver nodded, “Heinwald informed me that the magic of your world spawns from mana of five different elements; flame, wind, water, light, and shadow; the element he told me that you two are naturally inclined to. In our world, our mana all stems from the same source, an enigmatic source called The Root. Though no mage has successfully accessed The Root without losing themselves to corruption, it is the foundation from which all of our practices stem. Lithomancy, necromancy, pyromancy, alchemy… our magic draws from the same source while taking different forms. Unfortunately, unlike your world where one can become a mage with prayer or study alone, in our world, the potency of one’s magic is dependent on their magic circuits and crest. These are passed down through mages’ families, some having lasted millennia, and the older the family, the more powerful the crest and plentiful the magic circuits in a mage’s body. Before I became a servant, I was a fourth generation mage with a crest no larger than 15 centimetre rectangle and a paltry amount of magic circuits within my body. It almost makes me envy the magic system of your world…”

“Were you ever to come visit us after we find a way home,” Heinwald offered, “I would gladly write you a letter of recommendation to study at my alma mater Caldia. They accept people as young as 15, but there is no age limit otherwise on when to apply.”

“The thought is much appreciated, but I doubt master would be willing to let me take a leave of absence. She considers me a vital part of the team after all… But I digress. Anyway, Heinwald also informed me that those ‘otherworld crystals’ you used to come here were crystalized fragments of corrupted elemental mana, and by releasing the mana within, it creates a fissure between your world and the space between worlds. However, that mana is spent upon entering and returning, and is probably why your fragments were rendered to nothing more than dust once you entered our world. While we don’t have otherworld fragments in our world, we _do _have a space between worlds, except we call it the void space.”

“Can it be traversed?” Curran asked.

“Yes, for there was a time when that space was Chaldea’s sanctuary,” Waver informed, “Us servants were sent into stasis during that time period, but Master and the staff were able to survive in that space for four months by living within a vehicle called the Shadow Border, Miss DaVinci’s Noble Phantasm.”

“Do you think she’d be willing to give us a ride to help us get home?” Curran wondered.

“Initially I was thinking that could be an option,” Waver sighed, “But I realized that DaVinci can only locate currents that lead to Lostbelts or frames within our known history. I doubt she’d be able to recognize one that led to another world. She might very well dismiss it as a null space and skip right over it.”

“This is where we came up with an idea,” Heinwald informed, “The Shadow Border will allow us a way home, but we would need a navigator who knows the way. One whose body is capable of holding a vast quantity of mana; a mage.”

Curran finally put two and two together, coming to the epiphany that Waver and Heinwald no doubt reached last night.

“So you would drive the Shadow Border, Hein?” Curran realized.

“That was the conclusion we came to,” Waver explained, “But we were unfortunately met with yet another road block. Based on what Heinwald has told me about his family tree, his bloodline is on par with that of the Tohsaka family in terms of how many mage ancestors he has had. He would be a perfect pilot, but there are two obstacles we must face. The first being DaVinci’s permission to use the Shadow Border. This vehicle is vital to our operations, and if it became unusable, or worse yet, stranded in another world, it could very well lead our organization to ruin. The second issue is that even if we are given permission to use the Shadow Border, Heinwald would need to be able to access the mana of our world to pilot it, and from what he has told me, he has only ever been able to use shadow mana…”

“My body would need to be practically flooded with the mana of this world in order to pilot the vehicle,” Heinwald added, “Since I am a mage, I’m certain I could store it, but the method of acquiring it is… well… something I would rather discuss with you first, Curran.”

“What do you mean?” Curran asked.

“I would have to absorb this mana through a ritual the mages of this world call a ‘mana transfer’,” Heinwald said, “Which is little more than a euphemism for sex with someone who has a large concentration of mana in their bodily fluids.”

Curran blushed embarrassedly. Though he knew Heinwald would be willing to do anything to get them home to Lathna and their companions, Curran wasn’t certain how he felt letting Heinwald have sex with someone else just to gain extra mana. He was completely taken with him, and wouldn’t be willing to share him unless it was with someone he trusted.

“Who…” Curran choked, “Who would Heinwald have to have sex with? Your master? DaVinci? One of the mages who works here?”

“Well,” Waver flushed, “Back when I was a mage and a Master, Iskandar… required quite a bit of mana to use his Noble Phantasm. So mana transfers between the two of us were rather common. That being said, now that we’re both servants, we do have a decent amount of mana within us. Either or both of us could be his partner if you’re worried about him being with a stranger.”

Curran thought it over. He supposed he wouldn’t mind if either of them was Heinwald’s partner. Curran felt like he could trust them with Heinwald, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but feel left out.

“I mean…” Curran stammered, “ I guess I’d be ok if it was you or Iskandar, but would you mind if I… joined in as well.”

“Ho?” Heinwald chuckled, “Seeing a ritual and suggesting a foursome. You’re more of a dog than I give you credit for, my dear. Though I certainly wouldn’t be opposed.”

Waver blushed embarrassedly, “Well, this is only _if _we get DaVinci’s permission to use the Shadow Border. We still need to think of a plan B on the off chance she says no.”

“Surprised you haven’t already,” Curran said, “Knowing you Hein, you normally don’t jump in until you have up to at least plan K.”

“Well, we would have,” Heinwald confessed, “But we took a break to play this rather enjoyable video game and I fear I got a bit hooked. I must see if Sinoa and Kleimann would be willing to work with me to allow such a device to work in Alberia. I’m certain it would be a wonderful pastime for non-deployed adventurers and civilians alike at the Halidom. Would you like me to teach you how to play?”

“Maybe after you get me that hangover curative,” Curran sighed, “I know you said it tasted like dragon ass, but I really could use it right now.”

“I think I have a bottle of ibuprofen in the bathroom drug cabinet,” Waver thought, “Iskandar, be a dear and get Curran a pill and some water.”

“Of course,” Iskandar replied, “I need to grab some myself.”

“So you have hangover curatives in pill form in this world?” Heinwald asked, “How very advanced.”

“It’s more or less a painkiller,” Waver said, “If we can link our worlds with the Shadow Border, maybe I could have some sent to Grastaea. From what you’ve told me, our technology would be highly beneficial to your homeland’s war effort.”

“That would be much appreciated,” Heinwald smiled, “Thank you for your charity, Waver.”

Iskandar stepped out of the bathroom with a glass of water and two teal colored pills in hand. He handed them off to Curran who gulped them down quickly, chugging the water until the glass was dry.

“It should take effect in about 30 minutes,” Iskandar told, “In the mean time, would you like to get some breakfast?”

“Maybe in a bit,” Curran replied, “I’m not all too hungry if I’m being honest.”

“Would you like to learn how to play Super Smash Bros?” Heinwald suggested eagerly, “It’s fun once you get the hang of the controls.”

Curran walked up to the television screen, examining the roster inquisitively. His brows raised when he saw a familiar face onscreen.

“Hey! That’s Marth!” he exclaimed.

“Apparently in this world, his tales have been chronicled through a video game series called Fire Emblem. He’s such a popular figure that he was even included in this fighting game. Wouldn’t he be in for a surprise if he saw it.”

“You really must introduce me to him someday,” Waver begged.

“I gladly will,” Heinwald replied, “He’s a very kind and humble man. I’m certain he would be just as happy to meet you as you are to meet him.”

“I guess I could give playin’ Marth a shot,” Curran said, picking up another controller, “But given how I saw you two playin’ earlier, I’m certain I won’t do so hot.”

“Well how about we make it a fair fight,” Waver said, handing another controller to Iskandar.

Iskandar synched his controller to the system before Waver selected the team battle option, splitting it down the middle with him and Heinwald on one team and Curran and Iskandar on another.

“Iskandar is a god at this game,” Waver praised, “His Ike and Ganondorf are lethal. I’m certain he’d coach you well, or at the very least, carry you to victory.”

Iskandar hovered the player four icon over a large, gray skinned, buff man with red hair, selecting him. The announcer shouted out “Ganondorf!” before doing the same with Waver’s and Heinwald’s picks: “Ridley! Shulk!” Curran got the feel for his controller, hovering it over Marth’s icon.

“So…” he asked, “What button do I press to choose him?”

“A,” Waver replied.

Curran pressed down on the A button, hearing the announcer yell out, “Marth!” before a “Start Battle” banner appeared across the screen.

“Before we begin, here are your basic controls,” Iskandar explained, “ZL and ZR are your shields, L and R are your grabs, X and Y are your jump, A is your basic attack, and B is your special. From there you can unleash different attacks by coordinating the left joystick’s direction with your attacks.”

Curran looked at the controller in confusion, trying to figure out where all these buttons were. Before he could fully figure out his controller, Heinwald had already started up the match, leaving Curran confused as all four character’s spawned onto the stage. Heinwald mercilessly began his onslaught, heading straight for Curran as he unleashed a flurry of attacks. Curran watched in horror as Ridley grabbed Marth, attacking him without cease as his percentage damage only increased.

“Hein what the hell,” Curran grumbled.

“I’m sorry Curran,” Heinwald snickered, “But one must take advantage of their enemies’ weakness to win the day.”

“Yeah but you’re just stomping on someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing.”

“Curran we have both fought against High Jupiter. We of all people should know how unforgiving fights can be to those who are unaware of mechanics and patterns. Now to quote him, ‘Entertain me!’”

“Worry not Curran!” Iskandar said, “I will save you.”

Ganondorf heaved down his massive blade with a loud “DORIYAH!”, flicking Ridley off of Marth like he was nothing more than a pesky insect.

“Phew, I owe you one,” Curran sighed.

“Think nothing of it,” Iskandar smiled, “Now follow me! I shall lead us to victory.”

Curran moved Marth off to the side of the arena, practicing his controls as Iskandar held Heinwald’s Ridley and Waver’s Shulk back. He tested the move set, finding out what all Marth’s different specials did. Just as he was about to join the fray, he fatfingered the X button, accidentally jumping off the side of the arena.

“SHIT! FUCK! FUCK!” he shouted as Marth fell to his doom.

Heinwald broke out laughing at Curran’s expense.

“Yeah you think this is real funny, don’t ya…” Curran growled.

“Hilarious,” Heinwald snickered, “Have you been taking sparring lessons from Ieyasu? You seem to be playing much like how he fights against Jupiter, cluelessly endangering himself.”

“Hey you’ve got the advantage of practice!”

“I’m just teasing you my love. Besides, I don’t doubt that once you learn the mechanics of this game, you will be giving Waver and I a run for our money. With practice, you are quite skilled at whatever you attempt.”

The four continued their game. Though Curran was out rather quickly, he still managed to get a few hits, even knocking Heinwald out once. In the end, it came down to Waver and Heinwald with one stock a piece versus Iskandar with two stocks. Curran felt a bit bad being carried, but all he could do at the moment was cheer for him. Iskandar charged, grabbed, swung his heavy weapon with finesse, eventually knocking Waver off the stage at the expense of one of his stocks. It came down to Iskandar’s Ganon versus Heinwald’s Ridley, and now that all other fighters had been removed from the battlefield, Heinwald finally felt the powerlessness of facing an enemy that was just far too strong for him. A single swing of the broadsword chunked his damage by 50% while his own attacks barely seemed to scratch him. Suddenly the Smash Ball appeared in the air, floating as his last glimmer of hope for victory. He attacked it until it broke, seeing that empowering aura surround Ridley once more. Heinwald positioned himself carefully, pressing his B to unleash his final Smash. Fortunately for him, the attack connected, as Ganondorf was slammed into a space ship and blasted with Ridley’s beam. But to Heinwald’s dismay, Iskandar’s Ganondorf was still very much alive and kicking. The Final Smash did little more than 30% damage and with one final swing of his sword, Ganondorf knocked Ridley off of the stage, securing the victory for Curran and Iskandar.

“Team 2 wins!” the announcer shouted.

“You weren’t kidding when you said Iskandar was a god at this game…” Heinwald confessed, “Though I must admit, even though we were defeated, the fight was quite invigorating.”

“Thanks for carrying me, Iskandar,” Curran sighed.

“Think nothing of it,” Iskandar beamed, “I do not doubt that one day you will be on my level, if not more skilled than I.”

The victory celebration was cut off as Curran’s stomach growled.

“I suppose I could go for some breakfast now,” he said, “Then maybe we can ask DaVinci about the Shadow Border afterwards.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Waver replied, “Would you mind making that French toast again? I’m normally not too partial to sweets, but it was delicious.”

“His French toast is the best,” Heinwald smiled, salivating, “Thank goodness Curran is such a wonderful chef. I on the other hand have been banned from kitchen duty back at the Halidom, to my dismay.”

“You and Waver really are alike,” Iskandar chuckled, “He can’t cook either. Whenever he makes steak, it’s like eating the rubber sole of a boot.”

“At least I don’t _overseason_ my food,” Waver hissed, “The last time you made kebabs, you put so much cardamom in I almost choked…”

“There’s no such thing as too much cardamom in Greek cuisine,” Iskandar smiled.

“We should probably get to the kitchen before Artoria eats your stock of brioche,” Curran interrupted, trying to diffuse the situation.

“Fair point,” Iskandar said, taking Waver’s hand, “Let us be off.”


	8. Chapter 8

DaVinci turned around in her chair, alerted by the sound of a knock on the door to her chambers. She set aside her blueprints and stood up, walking over to the door to answer it. She cocked her head to the side curiously, slightly puzzled at the people in the doorway.

“Heinwald…” she said, “And Waver? What brings you all to my workshop?”

“Pardon if we interrupted anything of great importance, Miss DaVinci,” Heinwald bowed, “But we were wondering if we could discuss something with you. May we come in?”

“Oh of course. Make yourselves comfortable,” she replied, “But if you don’t mind me asking, why are you here Professor? I was under the impression that you weren’t exactly fond of our guests…”

“We have set aside our differences,” Heinwald informed, “And teamed up to figure out a way to return home.”

“Oh well that’s fantastic!” DaVinci smiled, “Pardon the mess, but you may all come in.”

As the two entered the cluttered workshop, DaVinci began clearing sketches, blueprints, and unfinished projects off of her chairs and workbenches, making room for them all to sit.

“So,” she asked, “What was it you wanted to talk about with me?”

“DaVinci,” Waver began, “Last night Heinwald and I were researching how he and Curran arrived here in the first place. Though the nature of magic in his world is far different from that of ours, we did discover a common thread: the Space between Worlds, or rather the Void Space to us.”

“The Void Space?” DaVinci gaped.

“Yes,” Waver informed, “Though the method of arriving there is different from that our world, I believe it is safe to say that the Void Space is a link that connects our two worlds. For our world, the only way of entering and leaving the Void Space unscathed is, to our knowledge, your Noble Phantasm, the Shadow Border.”

“Hmm… so you were wondering if I could drive you back?” she assumed, “As much as I would love to help, I’m afraid I don’t know the way there.”

“Actually, we were wondering if we could borrow it,” Heinwald corrected, “I would certainly be able to recognize the mana currents of my home world, and being a mage myself, feel like I could pilot it if given sufficient mana to do so.”

DaVinci rubbed her chin in thought, “Your plan certainly seems solid in theory, and while I certainly wouldn’t mind loaning you the Shadow Border, I do have a few questions before I simply relinquish my Noble Phantasm to you.”

“Certainly,” Heinwald replied.

“I’m assuming that in order to acquire the supply of mana required to pilot the Shadow Border,” DaVinci swallowed hard, “You would be willing to undergo the ritual to gain it… That is…”

“Mana transfer,” Heinwald interrupted, “Yes I am well aware of the process… And I am more than willing to undergo it if it means Curran and I will return home. As a matter of fact, Waver and Iskandar have graciously offered to donate some of their precious mana to me.”

“Well, that answers one question…” DaVinci said, “I have no doubt that you’ll be able to pilot it once you have gained enough mana, but a fear still lingers in my mind. At the moment, it would be irresponsible of me to leave Master’s side, so I would be unable to accompany you in order to make the return voyage. This being said, how would the Shadow Border return to Chaldea? Losing my Noble Phantasm would be a fatal blow to Chaldea… so I would need someone to accompany you to bring the Shadow Border back.”

“DaVinci,” Waver interjected, “Perhaps when I was a mage myself, my circuits would have been insufficient to pilot the Shadow Border, but now that I am a servant myself… do you think I could pilot it for the return trip?”

“I suppose…” DaVinci pondered, “But even though you yourself have quite the large supply of mana being summoned as a Caster, I still feel it would be behoove of you to undergo a mana transfer as well. Were it to break down in the middle of your travels, you and the Shadow Border would be stranded in the Void Space.”

Waver blushed and looked to Heinwald.

“So it seems we’ll both be in for quite the night,” Heinwald chuckled, “Are you still willing to help, given that you too will have to receive mana?”

“I’ve done mana transfers before,” Waver sighed, “And been on the receiving end of them for a vast majority of them. I have passed the need for hesitation. Besides, I agreed as a friend to help you and Curran home.”

“Thank you Waver,” Heinwald smiled, “I am truly indebted to you.”

“Well now that my questions have been answered and my fears eased,” DaVinci said, a smug smile pricking across her lips, “It’s looking like you boys have a long night ahead of you. Can I offer you some ‘gifts’ from my workshop? Lube? Toys? Lingerie?”

Waver’s face went beet red and a vein bulged from Heinwald’s forehead.

“You seem awful young to be familiar with such things, Miss DaVinci,” Heinwald sneered.

“Oh I understand your concern, Heinwald,” DaVinci snickered, “But I assure you I am far older than I look. At least mentally I am.”

“That doesn’t help your case,” Heinwald sighed.

“She’s done a poor job of explaining it,” Waver explained, “But DaVinci is easily 25 years old. She simply is using her current form as a backup after losing her old body.”

“Well, I guess that elucidates the situation… even if only slightly,” Heinwald grumbled.

“Oh that reminds me!” she exclaimed.

DaVinci reached into the cabinet, pulling out two pairs of practically translucent lingerie, making Heinwald’s face go as red as Waver’s.

“I’ve enchanted these outfits to help people absorb more mana during transfers,” she said proudly, “It’ll increase your libido and stamina tenfold. And that’s not all.”

She reached into the drawer, pulling out two vials of an off white liquid.

“These tonics should have a similar effect on your partners,” she added, “And greatly increase the mana concentration in their semen.”

“Wouldn’t we only need one?” Heinwald asked, “The mana Curran is attuned to is different from that of this world. I doubt it would even work on him.”

“Oh nonsense, it will perfectly enrich his semen with the mana of our world.”

Heinwald sighed in disbelief, “Then why don’t you just give it to Waver and me to imbibe for ourselves? If it can give Curran mana, then why wouldn’t it work on us?”

“It only enriches the concentration in _semen_ unfortunately,” DaVinci informed, “And it _must _be released after it is consumed. Therefore it only works for those on the giving end of a mana transfer instead of the receiving end.”

Heinwald pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, picking up the transparent, green, latex bra of the lingerie set. Even for someone with bizarre fetishes like him, Heinwald found this lingerie to be rather tasteless looking. Still, if it could help him and Waver gain the mana they needed to pilot the Shadow Border, he would have to swallow his pride and take it.

“Well, are you two interested?” she wiggled her brows.

Heinwald didn’t say a word, simply snatching one of the lingerie sets and vials from her hands.

“Very well then,” he grumbled, begrudgingly conceding, “We should probably get back to Curran and Iskandar and let them know the updated plan.”

Waver reluctantly took the other set of lingerie and vial from DaVinci, who chuckled mischievously at her victory.

“Have fun tonight!” she cheered.

***

Curran wiped his brow as he finished cleaning the last plate. He should have known that Emiya and Beni-Enma would pull him back onto kitchen duty after the positive response his cooking received before. He put the last plate on the drying rack before wiping the residual suds and dishwater from his hands.

“Thank you again for your help Torquemada-dono,” Beni Enma bowed.

“Glad I could be of assistance,” Curran replied.

“I found a pretty good recipe for paella in one of the cookbooks in Chaldea’s library,” Emiya added, “If you want I can cook that for dinner. I’m certain you’ve been craving your homeland’s cuisine since you were summoned.”

“I’m more of a mushroom risotto kinda guy,” Curran confessed, “My mama had the best recipe for it.”

“Well then we should make that-dechi!” Beni Enma chirped, “I’m certain our vegetarian servants like Sanzang-dono will appreciate it.”

Their conversation was cut off as Iskandar opened the door to the kitchen, with Heinwald and Waver in tow.

“Torquemada,” Heinwald announced, “Waver and I finished our meeting with Miss DaVinci. Would you mind coming back to our room to discuss our findings?”

“Sure thing,” he replied, “Just finished up the dishes anyway.”

“Shall we see you back in here for dinner then?” Emiya asked.

“Maybe,” Curran answered, “I’ll stop by your room once I’m done talking with H.P. and let you know.”

Heinwald flicked his wrist impatiently to call Curran over. Once he approached the three, Heinwald quickly pulled Curran out of the kitchen, dragging him back to the bedroom and closing the door behind them.

“So,” Curran wondered, “What did DaVinci say about the Shadow Border?”

“She’ll let us use it,” Heinwald responded, “But from her suggestion, I’m not the only one who will have to undergo a mana transfer. Waver too will have to receive an ample supply of mana to pilot the Shadow Border on the return wing of the trip.”

“Heh, guess a foursome really is inevitable then,” Curran said, “Iskandar, will you have enough mana to supply both of them? I wish I could help out in the transfer, but I’m no mage and no servant. Just a regular old Inquisitor.”

“Actually, DaVinci provided a remedy for that,” Heinwald informed, fishing through his pocket for the vial, “DaVinci said that this will allow you to transfer us mana even though you aren’t naturally inclined to the mana of this world… and it should boost your stamina and mana concentration as well.”

“Is that so?” Curran smiled, rubbing his goatee in intrigue, “Well it’s good that our plan will work, but when are we going to… y’know…”

“We were thinking some time tonight,” Waver said, “You can come over to Iskandar and my room and we can do it there.”

“Hmm…” Iskandar grumbled pensively.

“What is it Iskandar?” Waver wondered, “Is something wrong?”

“I’m not certain how I feel about this…” he confessed.

“Iskandar, we’ve done mana transfers countless times before…” Waver sighed.

“No my treasure, I am perfectly fine with doing it with you,” Iskandar confessed, “But I feel we should at the very least take Curran and Heinwald on a double date before we lay with them. It seems only right. After all, not only are they our guests, but also our dear new friends.”

Heinwald blushed and Curran rubbed the back of his neck embarrassedly.

“How very kind of you to offer,” Heinwald said.

“Y’know what,” Curran smiled, “We’ll take you up on that. If this is gonna be our last night here, I wouldn’t mind going on a double date with you guys.”

“Maybe if we find a way to solidify the link between our worlds, Curran and I could someday return the favor and show you two around Alberia,” Heinwald offered, “I happen to know of a lovely café we could go to.”

“You’re only suggesting that place for its cakes…” Curran teased.

“Their desserts are delicious, yes,” Heinwald confessed, “But their coffee and sandwiches are easily on par with them.”

“Well we’d be happy to join you for that,” Iskandar chuckled, “But first, allow us to show you some of our hospitality.”

“Then it’s a date,” Heinwald responded.

***

Heinwald ran a brush through his curly locks, working out some of the still damp tangles after his shower. Curran emerged from behind the shower curtain with a towel around his hips, his normally coifed hair lacking volume from the weight of the water.

“Sure is nice to have plenty of hot water,” Curran said, “Much nicer than having to beg Mercury to heat up the showers back home.”

“Perhaps I can work with the Halidom’s scholars to find out a way to reverse engineer this technology,” Heinwald replied, “It does definitely make things more convenient.”

Curran removed the towel from his waist, drying off the rest of his body and his hair. Heinwald always found it difficult to look away from Curran after he had gotten out of the shower. The way steam rose from his firm muscles, the way the water plastered his blonde chest and pubic hairs to his sun kissed skin, the way his dirty blonde hair grew darker and hung loose; it made Heinwald’s cheeks hot and red with desire. Still, he had to control himself. He would certainly be seeing plenty of action later tonight. As Curran began to dress, Heinwald tied up his cravat and looked around for his purple ribbon to hold back his hair. He ran his fingers through his black and white hair, tying it up in a low ponytail, his usual style. Curran clasped on his necklace and rolled up his sleeves, straightening up his Inquisitor uniform as Heinwald slid into his robes.

“Do I look ok?” Heinwald asked.

“You look cute as always,” Curran replied, kissing Heinwald chastely on the cheek.

“It’s almost time. Should we head next door?”

“I’m ready when you are.”

Heinwald picked up the keycard to their room and left with Curran, locking up the door behind them before proceeding next door. Their knock on the door was met with Iskandar answering, cleaned up nicely in a pinstriped chemise with a red tie. Instead of his red velvet coat and dark gray blazer, Waver wore a black suit and a red tie with a golden pattern resembling Iskandar’s cape.

“I hope we aren’t underdressed,” Heinwald apologized, “But I fear we have no other change of clothes.”

“You needn’t worry about being dressed for the occasion,” Iskandar chuckled, “We are simply going to the bar after all.”

“You won’t be getting _too _inebriated, right Curran?” Heinwald scowled.

“The same goes for you too Iskandar,” Waver warned, “Lest you forget we still have to mana transfer tonight and I wouldn’t be too keen on having sex with someone who’s drunk out of their mind.”

“I wasn’t planning on drinking,” Iskandar said, “I simply chose the bar as the venue to escape from the chaos of the dining commons.”

“Is it ok if I still have one pint of ale?” Curran begged Heinwald, “I promise I won’t get drunk off of it.”

Heinwald shook his head and sighed, “Just one. I will cut you off after that no matter how much you beg.”

“Fair enough…” Curran conceded.

“Are you ready to go then?” Waver asked.

“Sure,” Heinwald responded, “Lead the way.”

Iskandar took Waver’s hand and guided the group down the chrome halls until they reached the bar. When they opened the door, the interior decoration was different from what Heinwald and Curran remembered. Most of the tables had been put away save for one, which was lit with candles and decorated with finely folded silk napkins. The normal bartender, Moriarty, was absent, and in his place were two girls, each who looked no older than fifteen, wearing server uniforms. Heinwald recognized the blonde haired girl as Waver’s adoptive younger sister, Reines, but the other girl was a fresh face. Her silver hair was tied back in a tight, braided bun, much like the style the King of Knights Artoria wore, and the glimmer in her turquoise eyes reminded Heinwald of Lathna.

“Miss,” he said, “Would you be Gray, perchance?”

“Yes sir,” she bowed, “And you must be Heinwald and Curran. Reines and Sir have told me all about you.”

Her calm air, her polite manner of speaking, her plain but pretty appearance; Heinwald couldn’t help but smile and tear up at Gray’s presence.

“She really is like Lathna…” Heinwald reminisced, “She seems like a very nice girl, Waver.”

“Please make yourselves comfortable,” she offered, pulling out a chair for him to sit in at the table.

The four took their seats while Gray and Reines poured ice-cold water into their glasses.

“Mr. Emiya is preparing your dinner as we speak,” Gray informed, “I believe he is making mushroom risotto with seared sea scallops. Please relax and enjoy your date. Just let Reines and I know if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Lady,” Waver replied.

“Mushroom risotto, huh?” Curran restated, “Almost feel bad that I’m not in there to help make it. I kinda put that idea in his mind after all.”

“You needn’t feel guilty, Curran,” Iskandar assured, “The fact that you were so quick to help on kitchen duty before is enough. Besides, you are our guest, and it is only right that you get to enjoy yourself.”

“Well, guess I might as well then,” Curran breathed, relaxing in his chair, “Do ya think I could possibly get a pint of stout?”

Heinwald glared daggers at him, “Curran… do you want them thinking you’re an alcoholic?”

“Hey I thought you said I could have one drink,” Curran grumbled, “Unless you’re rejugging that promise.”

“It’s _reneging_, Curran,” Heinwald sighed, “But I suppose if you’re going to have something to drink, I might as well indulge too.”

“Gonna see if they can make you a Cosmopolitan, babe?” Curran snickered.

“I was actually more in the mood for a nice red wine,” Heinwald retorted.  
“Now that you mention it, some red wine does sound good,” Waver agreed, “Perhaps we could get a bottle for the table. That is, unless you prefer ale, Curran. If so we can each order by the glass.”

“Nah wine is fine,” Curran said.

He was always more of a dark beer kind of guy, but Curran didn’t want them to have to break open separate bottles to appease everyones’ differing tastes. Besides, given the quality of the drinks he had the night before, he was certain their wine supply must be of a similar caliber.

“Is there any you would recommend?” Heinwald asked.

“What are you in the mood for?” Iskandar asked.

“Hmm…” Heinwald pondered, “Something floral perhaps? With a touch of sweetness to it.”

“Do you think Gilgamesh would be willing to part with a bottle like that from his collection?” Waver wondered.

“After all the work you put into feeding his lottery, I think offering you a bottle of his wine is the least he can do,” Iskandar said.

He turned his head and waved down Gray, who quickly came running to the tableside.

“Girl,” he beamed, “Go ask the King of Heroes for a carafe of his finest red wine. If he refuses, tell him that Waver and I will abstain from his ‘Gilfest’ the next time he hosts it unless he is willing to pay tribute with the bottle.”

“Of course, Mr. Iskandar,” she bowed.

Gray headed out of the bar, quickly making her way for Gilgamesh’s room. As they waited, Heinwald began to grow curious.

“Who is this Gilgamesh you mentioned?” he wondered.

“A bastard,” Waver grumbled under his breath, “I mean… he’s a fellow servant here at Chaldea; the King of Heroes himself. A rather self centered and boisterous personality who views all of the worlds’ treasures as his own; and occasionally a drinking buddy of Iskandar’s.”

“How intriguing,” Heinwald rubbed his chin, “You see, back in Grastaea there is a dragon of legend who shares his namesake. A king clad in gold who would subjugate all beneath him save for his precious Enkidu and the human lucky enough to form a pact with him.”

“That certainly sounds like our Gilgamesh,” Waver sighed, “I wonder what he would think if he ever got the opportunity to meet his dragon counterpart.”

“Well perhaps one day he can,” Heinwald replied, “I’ve heard quite a few familiar names around Chaldea that remind me of our world, as a matter of fact: Xuanzang, Jeanne D’Arc, now Gilgamesh… It makes me wonder if the namesakes of the people and dragons of our world derived from yours.”

Before they could discuss the matter further, their conversation was cut off as an exuberant laugh echoed from the doorway. The four turned their heads to see Gray with a tall, blonde man in tow, gilded in gaudy, golden garments.

“Rejoice mongrels,” he chuckled, “For you will be granted the chance to partake in the nectar of the Gods!”

“Wow, he really _is _like our Gilgamesh,” Heinwald sighed, “Tacky armor and all.”

Gilgamesh froze in place, his brows furrowing.

“Tokiomi?” he hissed.

“Who?” Heinwald asked.

“I could have sworn I…” Gilgamesh closed his eyes, “Your voice is a dead ringer for that of the mongrel that I once had the displeasure of calling my master.”

“Well I assure you that I am not him, your majesty,” Heinwald assured, “I have never so much as heard his name before, and if my voice reminds you of someone you have sour memories of, I apologize.”

Gilgamesh’s frown twisted into a smile, making him burst out laughing.

“To think you would apologize for the deeds of someone else,” Gilgamesh cackled, “You are quite entertaining, mongrel.”

A golden portal materialized above the table, and a gilded bottle of wine with four equally ostentatious goblets floated down onto the table.

“Consider yourself lucky, mongrel,” he scoffed proudly, “For never again will such a panacea pass your lips.”

Gilgamesh turned on his heel, strutting out of the bar just as proudly as he entered. Gray hung her head in guilt.

“I apologize for the King of Heroes’ behavior, Mr. Heinwald,” she sighed, “I fear he is like that with everyone…”

“I don’t mind at all, Miss Gray,” Heinwald assured, “After all, he was still gracious enough to gift us his wine.”

“Shall I pour it for you?” she offered.

“How very kind of you,” Curran grinned, “I’m lookin’ forward to see if it’s as delicious as old goldie hyped it up to be.”

As Gray poured the rich, red liquid into their cups, Reines stood up and headed for the doorway.

“I’m going to check on Emiya in the kitchen and see if he has your dinners ready,” she said, “Gray, once you’re done, will you come with me? I have Trimmau to help me carry back the plates, but an extra pair of hands would be nice. Especially if they’re yours.”

Gray blushed, setting down the bottle after she finished pouring out the last glass, “Of course, Lady Reines.”

As the two girls departed from the bar, Heinwald raised the glass to his face, inhaling deeply through his nose to savor the wine’s scent.

“It has a lovely aroma to it,” Heinwald praised, “And the vibrant color is quite enticing.”

“Might you be a connoisseur of wines, Heinwald?” Iskandar wondered.

“My father used to collect rare wines,” Heinwald replied, “He would never let me so much as look at our cellar when he was alive, but after his passing, I figured it wouldn’t hurt me to sample a few.”

“Never would have expected you to do somethin’ like that babe,” Curran chuckled, taking a drink from his glass of wine, “I mean, I know from what you told me about your old man, he was a miser and an asshole, but I would have guessed you’d sell ‘em or donate the bottles to some of your serfs.”

“It was a mystery to me,” Heinwald said, “I simply tried them out of my desire for knowledge. It was an investigation, nothing more. But because of that I fear I have been spoiled and high quality wine is one of the few alcoholic beverages I can stomach.”

“That and anything that’s half sugar…” Curran snickered.

He winced in pain as Heinwald elbowed him in the gut, nearly making him spill his wine. If it weren’t for his sharp reflexes, Curran’s white uniform would have been dyed red from his drink.

“Well I am certain you will enjoy Gilgamesh’s selection,” Iskandar smiled, “Even as a king myself, I had never tried such an exquisite wine until I sampled this.”

Heinwald raised the glass to his lips, gently sipping the fragrant wine. A smirk pricked across his lips as the sweet, floral taste of the wine traversed his palate. He set down the glass, a pleasant, fruity aftertaste lingering on his tongue.

“I must say,” Heinwald confessed, “This has definitely surpassed my expectations. What a wonderful glass. What do you think Curra-“

Heinwald’s expression of bliss turned to one of horror as he watched Curran swallow down most of his wine in one gulp.

“Are you kidding me?” he hissed, “Did you even taste it Curran?”

“Of course I did!” Curran beamed, “It was delicious!”

“My dear… I love you but you’re supposed to _savor_ wine like that…” Heinwald sighed.

Curran grinned smugly, “Well, guess I’ll just have to have another glass the- OUCH!”

“Oh no you aren’t,” Heinwald scolded, swatting away his hand, “You get one glass Curran. That’s what we agreed on.”

“But babe…” Curran whimpered.

“You made your bed, now lie in it,” he insisted.

“Given how much he was able to handle the previous night, I’m certain another glass wouldn’t harm him,” Iskandar vouched for Curran.

“If you think litigating for Curran will make me more lax and allow you to get plastered too, you’re in for quite the unwelcome surprise,” Waver scolded.

“Understood, my treasure…” Iskandar sighed in defeat.

The door to the bar reopened, and Reines, Gray, and the mercury maid Trimmau came in with silver platters in hand. They set them down in front of the four, lifting the domes and unleashing a blanket of steam that billowed out from their plates. The risotto underneath looked perfectly creamy, it’s golden brown roux complimenting the perfectly seared scallops and caramelized mushrooms. The garnish of parsley added a beautiful pop of color and it smelled divine, the sweated garlic and shallots emanating their perfume.

“Enjoy your meal,” Gray bowed.

“Thank you, Lady,” Waver replied.

Curran picked up his spoon, dipping it into the savory rice dish and scooping some up to his mouth. He exhaled happily as he tasted the risotto. The rice was perfectly tender and while the roux was packed with flavor and umami, it wasn’t too salty. The texture was creamy and comforting, and the mushrooms and scallops were tender enough to practically melt in his mouth. Though it was far fancier than the mushroom risotto he always enjoyed in his youth and made from time to time for Heinwald and Lathna to enjoy, it still brought back some wonderful memories.

“Be sure to give my regards to Emiya,” Curran praised, “This risotto is fantastic.”

“I’m normally not too partial to shellfish myself, but these scallops almost taste sweet,” Heinwald smiled, dipping his spoon back in for another bite.

“Emiya has always done a great job cooking for the staff and servants of Chaldea,” Waver said, “He seems to be able to make dishes that fit everyone’s tastes.”

“Imagine if he and Cleo teamed up,” Curran commented to Heinwald, “I bet they could make all of Grastaea happy with their cooking.”

“That is, if someone were there to hold Ranzal and Artoria back,” Heinwald sighed, “Ranzal is a food fiend on his own, but if Artoria came to our world to partake in that feast, I’m certain we’d undergo a food shortage soon after.”

Curran cringed. He had helped in both Cleo’s and Chaldea’s kitchens and knew all too well how much of menaces those two in particular were for food.

“We can just say there isn’t enough room in the Shadow Border for her,” Waver said, “As for this Ranzal, I fear you might have to come up with a strategy yourself to prevent his carnage.”

The four continued chatting away, enjoying their dinners until their plates were clean and their glasses dry. When Trimmau returned to the table to collect the now empty plates, Gray set a small mason jar tied up with a ribbon in the center of the table, filled with soft, cube shaped confections.

“It may not be as good as Emiya’s cooking,” Gray confessed, “But Reines and I made you some fudge for dessert. It goes wonderfully with tea and coffee, and we made enough for you to enjoy on your trip home.”

“How thoughtful of you,” Heinwald smiled gently, “Thank you, Miss Gray. Or perhaps I should take a page from Waver’s book and call you Lady.”

“Just Gray is fine,” she flushed.

“May I try one, now?” Heinwald asked the group, “Or should I save it for later.”

“Go ahead,” Waver said, “I’m too full, but I don’t see why you can’t enjoy some.”

Heinwald unscrewed the lid, plucking one of the small, light brown pieces from the jar and popping it in his mouth. The fudge was light and fluffy, melting in his mouth and coating his palate with the sweet taste of milk chocolate.

“Delicious,” he smiled, “I think I will save the rest for later though. Lathna would love this. Would you care to try one, Curran?”

“Nah,” Curran replied, “But I do think giving them to Lathna is a good idea. Maybe a souvenir from this world will make her feel better.”

“From what you’ve told me, I’m certain just seeing you two returning safely would be enough to make her happy,” Waver cooed, “But a present would certainly only make her happier.”

“I’m glad you like the fudge,” Gray beamed, “I hope Lathna enjoys it as well.”

“I’m certain she will,” Heinwald replied.

As Heinwald tucked away the fudge in the pocket of his robes and the four stood up from the table to return to Waver and Iskandar’s room, a wave of regret washed over Heinwald. Though their relationship had a poor start at first, he had come to consider Waver a close friend, and worried that after returning home to Grastaea, he and Curran would never see him, Iskandar, Gray, Reines, or any of those who offered their hospitality to them again. He shook his head, trying not to focus on pessimistic ‘what-ifs.’ After all, their night had just begun, and even if this would be his last time seeing his new friends, Heinwald was determined to enjoy it until the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve made this seiyuu joke before but for those who haven’t read Le Beau et le Bête, Heinwald is voiced by Sho Hayami, who also voices Tokiomi Tohsaka in Fate


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops this chapter was long. Probably because I wanted to shove in as many kinks and positions as I could and my hubris prevented me from dividing it into two or cutting some out. Anyway, enjoy the pwp

Waver held up the keycard to his room, hearing the click of the metallic door unlocking as it slid open. He swallowed hard. Mana transfers weren’t an uncommon ritual in mage society, but he still couldn’t help but feel nervous about doing it with three other people. At least he wouldn’t be the only one receiving mana. Heinwald was in the same boat as him, and had far more excuses to be nervous, yet he seemed excited, eager even. As they entered the room, Waver walked over to his nightstand, pulling out the vials of mana stimulant that DaVinci had given them earlier and handed them off to Iskandar and Curran.

“Heinwald and I need a moment to get ready,” Waver blushed, “In the mean time you should probably drink these.”

“Take your time, my treasure,” Iskandar cooed, kissing Waver between his deep frown lines.

As Waver and Heinwald headed into the bathroom, closing the door behind them, Curran uncorked the vial, curiously taking a whiff of the contents inside.

“Well, down the hatch I guess,” he resigned.

Iskandar opened his bottle as well, knocking it back with Curran. Curran’s face contorted in disgust. He gagged, the foul taste of the stimulant polluting his mouth.

“What the hell?” he hacked, “It tastes like jizz...”

Iskandar tried his best to hide his disgust for the stimulant as well, but the look on his face betrayed him.

“I must admit, I have tasted far better beverages,” Iskandar confessed, “But if it was made by DaVinci, I’m certain that there is a reason behind its… potency…”

“I could really go for some water to get the taste out of my mouth,” Curran sighed, walking over to the bathroom, “Hein, can you get me and Iskandar some glasses of water?”

“I fear I’m a bit busy at the moment,” he grumbled.

“Have you and Waver already started without us?” Curran teased.

Heinwald sighed in exasperation, “Do you really want us to ruin the surprise for you?”

Curran cocked his brows in intrigue, “Surprise, huh?”

“We’re almost ready so please be patient, my dear.”

“Fine by me babe.”

Curran sat down on the bed next to Iskandar, waiting patiently for their lovers to finish getting ready. As time passed, he could feel the stimulant beginning to take effect, heat slowly pooling in his groin and flush rising to his cheeks.

“Whatever surprise they have in store for us,” Curran grunted, “I hope they finish soon. Don’t know how much longer I can hold it.”

“I understand your pain,” Iskandar replied, “but I wonder if they’ll enjoy the surprise I have prepared for them myself.”

“You got something up your sleeve too? Can’t wait to see what Hein thinks of it.”

“Sorry for the wait,” Waver said, opening the door to the bathroom.

Iskandar and Curran’s jaws hit the floor once their lovers emerged from the bathroom, clad in practically transparent lingerie. Waver wore a long, pastel blue, chiffon gown with blue, flower shaped crystals sewn into the fabric above his nipples and along his stomach. A pair of black stockings enrobed his thighs and white crystalline garters led up to a black lace belt, a black thong hiding underneath. Black lace gloves covered his delicate hands and his dark brown hair was tied up into a braided bun. He was the picture of elegance and grace.

Heinwald on the other hand emanated pure sex appeal and eroticism in his set of lingerie. A green latex bra clung to his chest, purple slits of fabric hiding his nipples under the otherwise see-through material. The same green latex clung to his thighs as a pair of stockings, barely peaking out from his knee high, black, pleather, high heel boots. A black latex skirt hugged his hips, the purple belt around it holding a pair of handcuffs and three prop syringes filled with vibrantly colored liquids. The same black latex also covered his shoulders and neck in a shirt that slightly resembled a nurse uniform, yet Curran could still easily see the stitch line dividing his chest between his gray and porcelain skin. Green latex gloves encircled his hands to the elbow, and a black nurse’s cap sat on the crown of his head, his black and white hair now braided into a loop.

“Hellooo nurse,” Curran whistled.

“I’m sorry it took so long,” Heinwald sighed, “The material of this lingerie sticks to everything. I hope it doesn’t make me chafe.”

“Well this is quite the pleasant surprise,” Iskandar smirked, “You look breathtaking, my treasure.”

“DaVinci claimed these outfits were enchanted to better collect mana,” Waver admitted, “But I have a creeping suspicion she was just pulling our legs.”

Waver yelped as Iskandar grabbed him, pulling him onto his lap. He could already feel his hard-on grinding against the curve of his ass through the fabric of Iskandar’s pants.

“Well, it’s certainly giving me the desire to fill you up with my mana,” Iskandar purred.

“The same goes for me,” Curran growled, grabbing Heinwald’s hand to pull him onto his lap as well, “You’re so sexy babe. I like this look on you.”

Heinwald whimpered as he felt Curran’s hand nestle between his thighs, pushing up his skirt to reveal his green latex underwear.

“Cute panties,” he said.

“They’re so uncomfortable…” Heinwald groaned, “It feels like my dick is being suffocated. Hurry up and take them off.”

“Aw babe, you really want me that badly?” Curran chuckled.

“I’m being serious, Curran!” Heinwald yelled, “I can already feel my balls chafing. Take them off!”

“Are you uncomfortable, my treasure?” Iskandar asked.

“The crystals are digging into my skin a bit, but I’ll live,” he said, “Sorry you got stuck with the latex outfit Heinwald.”

“I would like to have a word with whoever thought using this material for undergarments was a good idea…” Heinwald grumbled, “Now please take these panties off of me, Curran…”

“Sure thing babe,” Curran laughed, sliding the sticky fabric off of his crotch and down his legs.

“Sweet freedom,” Heinwald sighed in relief.

“Hmm, I think I deserve a little something for helping you out there,” Curran smirked smugly, “How about a little roleplaying, my sexy little nurse?”

Heinwald grinned back mischievously, “All you needed to do was ask, my _dear patient._ Would you mind telling me where it hurts? I’ll do everything in my power to heal you.”

Curran guided Heinwald’s hand to his clothed, throbbing erection.

“My cock is so swollen, nurse,” he moaned, “Could you kiss it and make me feel better?”

“Leave it to me,” Heinwald whispered, “You’ll be feeling better in no time.”

Heinwald got down on his knees, unzipping Curran’s pants and freeing his hard on from its confines.

“My, my,” Heinwald played along, “Look at how swollen and red it’s gotten. You poor thing… but don’t you worry, your nurse will gladly disinfect it for you.”

Heinwald pressed his lips against the tip, kissing it and lapping up Curran’s precum before taking it inside of his mouth. He bobbed his head up and down the shaft, licking at the pulsing veins and fondling Curran’s full, puffy balls.

“Fuck…” Curran cursed, threading his fingers into Heinwald’s long, braided hair, “Nurse…”

“Looks like they’ve already started their fun,” Iskandar growled, “How about we join them, my treasure.”

Waver mewled as he felt Iskandar’s rough hand grope at his butt, teasingly spreading his cheeks apart to rub at his puckered entrance.

“I’ll…” Waver choked, “I’ll get the lube.”

He cried out as Iskandar spanked him hard, leaving a bright red handprint on the fair skin of his ass.

“No no no, my treasure,” Iskandar purred, “Allow me.”

Iskandar slid Waver off of his lap, walking to the nightstand. As he waited, Waver’s gaze shifted to Heinwald who was happily sucking on Curran’s erect member. Curran wasn’t as big as Iskandar, but he was still far above average in length and girth. Heinwald made eye contact with him, pulling off of Curran’s cock and wiping the saliva from his mouth.

“Would you like to join?” he offered, “I’m certain Curran wouldn’t mind us sharing.”

“Go on boy,” Iskandar suggested, digging around in the nightstand drawer, “Why don’t you show Curran how good your fellatio skills are.”

Waver swallowed hard, getting down on his knees, “Ok.”

He and Heinwald were practically cheek to cheek as they took alternated between licking Curran’s shaft and sucking on his tip. Waver swirled his tongue around the head of Curran’s dick while Heinwald planted kisses on his balls, gently licking and sucking on his scrotum.

“Fuck this is so hot,” Curran grinned, “Watching two cuties like you savoring my cock. The way you’re swallowing me up, it must be delicious.”

“Mhm,” Heinwald mumbled, his mouth still preoccupied with pleasuring Curran.

Waver nodded his head in agreement. Curran’s member wasn’t so ridiculously large that he couldn’t even dream of deepthroating it, but large enough that it made his jaw ache when he sucked it. Suddenly Waver heard the drawer of the nightstand close and felt the familiar caress of Iskandar’s rough hand against his rear.

“You keep up the good work Waver,” Iskandar purred, “I’ll start stretching you and Heinwald out, that is, if you’re fine with that Curran.”

“Can’t complain,” he replied.

Iskandar pulled down Waver’s panties, kissing his and Heinwald’s holes before slicking his fingers in lube. Heinwald and Waver shivered as the felt Iskandar’s thick fingers press inside of them, wriggling against their tender walls. While he was able to find Waver’s sweet spots easily due to experience, Iskandar had to concentrate a bit more to figure out what spots made Heinwald feel good. Fortunately for him, Heinwald was just as much, if not more, vocal when pleasured than Waver was, and his moans made for a good indicator of when Iskandar caressed a sensitive spot inside of him.

“Is Iskandar doing a good job stretching you out Hein?” Curran purred, “Or do you prefer my fingers?”

Heinwald pulled away from Curran’s cock, a look of ecstasy plastered across his face.

“Both…” he mewled, “I like both…”

He squealed in delight as Iskandar added a second finger, pressing hard against his prostate. Waver too looked like he was enjoying himself, his hips shaking as Iskandar prodded his insides. Heinwald looked shrewdly at Waver, pulling him in for a deep kiss. Waver’s eyes widened in shock at first, but eased as his tongue intertwined with Heinwald’s. He was good. The two separated for a moment, only to sandwich the tip of Curran’s cock between them before continuing their makeout session. The sight alone was almost enough to make Curran cum, but he had to hold out. Even with his boosted stamina from the stimulant, he wanted his first orgasm of the night to be creampieing Heinwald. Iskandar added another finger into Heinwald and Wavers’ holes, scissoring in and out and making sure they were adequately stretched. He pulled his fingers out and smiled.

“I think you two are ready,” he said.

“Then take off your clothes and put it in,” Waver begged, “I need it, Iskandar.”

“Me too Curran,” Heinwald pleaded, “Let’s do it.”

“Hmm, I’m afraid we have a bit of a misunderstanding,” Iskandar chuckled, turning over his shoulder and grabbing something he had hidden behind his back.

Waver and Heinwald’s eyes widened as they took a closer look at the object Iskandar was holding; a large, double sided dildo, ribbed and speckled with bumps for pleasure.

“I got this for you two to share,” Iskandar said, “You wouldn’t want to waste my generosity and not use it, would you?”

Waver had used sex toys before, but he always preferred the real thing. Dildos weren’t as warm, and they never seemed to fill him up to satisfaction like how Iskandar’s dick did.

“If you both can come once from using it, Curran and I will give you what you want,” Iskandar growled.

Curran smirked at Iskandar. He was impressed. This sort of thing was right up Heinwald’s alley.

“Iskandar,” Waver protested, “Heinwald and I need mana. Don’t you think this is a bit frivolous?”

“I don’t know about you Waver, but I find this rather exciting,” Heinwald replied eagerly, “I’ll gladly try it.”

It was three against one. Waver was hoping that Heinwald would be against the idea as well, but his plan had backfired.

“Fine…” he sighed in defeat.

“Good boy,” Iskandar cooed.

Iskandar helped the two to their feet, positioning them on their hands and knees facing away from each other. He handed the lube and toy over to Curran, who made quick work of thoroughly coating it before positioning one of the ends of the double-sided dildo against Heinwald’s entrance. Heinwald whimpered as the tip of the toy sunk past his rim, inching deeper inside of him.

“Come now Waver,” Iskandar purred, “Heinwald is doing such a good job of taking it. You don’t want him to show you up, do you?”

Waver gritted his teeth, grabbing the other end of the toy and pressing back against it until he felt the warm flesh of Heinwald’s rear against his own.

“Good boy,” Iskandar cooed, “I think you’ve earned a reward.”

Iskandar unzipped his pants, unveiling his fully erect member. He pressed it against Waver’s lips, who happily parted them to take it inside of his mouth. Not to be outdone, Curran followed suit, sliding his cock past Heinwald’s pliant lips and into the warm wetness of his mouth.

“That’s good,” Curran encouraged, “But don’t slack back here, Hein”

A muffled moan escaped Heinwald’s mouth as Curran slapped his ass. He immediately took the cue and started moving his hips, fucking both himself and Waver with the double-sided dildo. As he thrust himself back onto the toy, it plunged deeper into Waver’s hole, making sparks of pleasure shoot up his spine as his hips matched Heinwald’s rhythm. A few days ago Waver never would have thought that he and Heinwald would get along, yet now here they were, fucking each other into ecstasy with a double-sided dildo. Waver shrieked as the toy crammed into his prostate. He was practically teetering on the edge of release. Waver always had a hard time climaxing from using a toy alone, but sharing this one with Heinwald, feeling the warmth of his hips as they clashed, it felt enough like sex that he could get addicted. Iskandar cupped his face, stroking his flushed cheeks as saliva dripped from his mouth.

“You look like you’re enjoying yourself, my treasure,” he purred, “Are you close?”

Waver nodded his head, still gagging on Iskandar’s dick as the toy penetrated him from behind. Iskandar exchanged a shrewd look with Curran, nodding at him as if he knew they were both thinking the same thing. They both pulled out of their lovers’ mouths, flipping the two over and picking them up, the toy still connecting both of them. Heinwald and Waver yelped as Curran and Iskandar handled them like rag dolls, roughly slapping their hips together. Heinwald’s vision went blurry as the pleasure became more intense. Waver moaned like a bitch in heat, this rough treatment only pushing him closer to orgasm. With a few more strokes, the two shrieked in the pleasure of release, climaxing simultaneously as their seed spilt across their bellies. Iskandar and Curran pulled the two apart, letting the dildo slide out of their gaping holes. They panted roughly, collapsing on the bed as they recovered from their orgasms, yet neither of them felt completely spent. Waver didn’t know about Heinwald, but two rounds was usually his limit before he tagged out, one if it was as intense as the orgasm he just had, but oddly enough, though he was satisfied, he felt he could do this all night. Perhaps DaVinci wasn’t lying when she said these lingerie sets were enchanted to make mana collection easier.

“You certainly look satisfied,” Curran said smugly, admiring his mess of a boyfriend and Iskandar’s disheveled lover, “But now it’s our turn.”

Iskandar tossed the dildo to the side, he and Curran stripping off what was left of their clothes. Curran and Heinwald both looked upon Iskandar’s naked body with shock. His frame and muscles weren’t the only thing large about him: Iskandar’s penis had to be over a foot long. Curran wasn’t small to say the least, but he couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous, especially knowing how much of a size queen Heinwald was.

“Waver,” Heinwald panted, his eyes transfixed lustfully on Iskandar’s cock, “Can we trade?”

A vein popped on Curran’s forehead, “I’m right here babe…”

“Oh? Is that penis envy I spy?” he teased.

Without any additional prep or warning, Curran slammed his dick all the way inside of Heinwald. He screamed as his face contorted in a mix of pain and pleasure, yet there was still a glimmer of smug satisfaction in his eyes. He got just what he wanted, to rile Curran up until he fucked him hard. While Curran pounded Heinwald until he saw stars, Iskandar planted a gentle kiss on the tip of Waver’s nose, slowly pressing his dick into Waver’s hole. Waver exhaled, relaxing as his insides parted to accommodate for Iskandar’s girth. Waver enjoyed rough sex as much as the next guy, but he always preferred being slowly eased into it, relishing in Iskandar pampering him before dominating him.

“Are you comfortable, my treasure?” Iskandar asked.

“Yeah,” Waver breathed, “You can move.”

Iskandar began with slow strokes, going by the sound of Waver’s whimpers to prod at his sweet spots. Gradually he picked up the pace, making Waver’s gentle mewls turn into passionate moans as he dug into his prostate harder, faster.

“You know babe,” Curran whispered into Heinwald’s ear, “It was really hot watching you and Waver make out earlier. You should do that again.”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to that,” Iskandar added, “The looks of pleasure upon your faces is erotic enough already. I can only imagine how much more alluring it would be to see such beautiful men as yourselves sharing a passionate kiss.”

Waver turned his head towards Heinwald, cupping his cheek and brushing the white bangs from his face before pulling him in for a kiss. Heinwald returned the kiss with equal fervor, their cries of pleasure muffled by their intertwined tongues. Waver ran his thumb along the stitch lined scar that separated the course, gray skin of the right half of Heinwald’s face from the soft porcelain of his left, making a pleased whimper pass his lips and a shiver run up his spine.

“Looks like you’ve found one of his weak spots,” Curran chuckled, “His gray skin may be a bit course, but he’s sensitive as hell there, especially on the stitch lines.”

Heinwald pulled away from Waver’s kiss for a moment, scowling at Curran.

“Must you give away all of my secrets Curran?” Heinwald mumbled, “I’m- AH!”

Heinwald shivered as Waver’s thumb pressed into his violet nipple, swirling around the sensitive nub until it hardened.

“Gotta give them some clue on how to bring out your submissive side,” Curran scoffed, taking advantage of Heinwald’s moment of weakness to thrust in deeper and make him scream, “I know how much you like to put on your snarky airs, but deep down I know you like being spoiled and stimulated too.”

“SHUT UP CURRAN!” Heinwald hissed, his face going beet red.

Waver chuckled, “How unexpectedly cute.”

Waver’s breath hitched as Iskandar grinded against his sweet spot deep inside of him.

“I…” he whimpered, “I’m getting close again…”

“Same for me…” Heinwald mewled.

“Well then, I think it’s time Curran and I gave you your first dose of mana for tonight,” Iskandar growled, “Right, Curran?”

“Yeah. I hope you’re ready babe,” Curran purred, “Cuz I’m going to fill you up until you’re drowning in my cum.”

“Oh yes please,” Heinwald replied eagerly.

Curran and Iskandar picked up the pace of their thrusts rutting hard and fast into the depths of their lovers. Heinwald and Waver curled their hands around each others members, jacking each other off to hasten their release. Waver bit his lower lip, muffling his moans as his dick spasmed, erupting hot jizz all over Heinwald’s fist. His insides clenched, making Iskandar cum soon after, pouring his semen, his mana, deep inside of him. Heinwald and Curran followed suit, Heinwald crying out in orgasm as Curran filled him with his seed, his own dick convulsing with release. Curran and Iskandar pulled out, their thick, white sperm dribbling lewdly out of their partners stretched holes. Waver and Heinwald took a moment to compose themselves, wobbling as they sat up on the bed. Heinwald was utterly amazed at how different he felt after the transfer. He felt almost empowered after receiving mana, like his magic would hit harder, his heals and buffs would be more potent. Yet even with this boon, he figured he’d still need more. The two looked to their partners, wondering how they were doing after the transfer. Much to their surprise, Curran’s and Iskandar’s dicks were still completely hard.

“Hasn’t gone down at all,” Curran blushed, “That stimulant really is potent stuff.”

“Well considering how much mana is required to pilot the Shadow Border, it makes sense that she’d give us something to help you last all night,” Waver confessed.

“Do the two of you have enough energy to continue?” Iskandar asked, “If you need a moment to rest, we can wait.”

“I’m ready to continue when you are,” Heinwald said, “And you, Waver?”

“I suppose,” Waver replied.

Heinwald smirked mischievously, “Well then, for our next round, perhaps we could swap partners. I would love a taste of Iskandar’s co- I mean, mana.”

“Are you serious babe?” Curran moped, “Is my dick not enough for you? I’m ten inches!”

“Oh no Curran you’re wonderful,” Heinwald assured, “I just feel missionary with our partners for the entire night would get boring after a while. Switching partners, trying new positions, perhaps even a little double penetration… that sounds thrilling.”

If he hadn’t been warned by Curran during their night at the bar, Iskandar would have been shocked. He was amazed that someone so bookish and almost frail looking could have such lewd desires. Still, he would be lying to himself if he didn’t find this exciting as well. Waver was his true love, and absolutely adorable, but he was vanilla to a fault, hesitant to try out new kinks. Yet it seemed Heinwald had no fear. He was almost desperate to try new things, to explore even the strangest of kinks and find out if he could get pleasure from them.

“I wouldn’t mind mixing things up,” Iskandar confessed, “Variety is the spice of life after all, but only if Waver is fine with it. What say you, my treasure?”

Waver looked away nervously, a soft blush painting his cheeks, “We can stop if I don’t like it, right?”

“Of course,” Heinwald assured, “I have tried out several positions and kinks in my pursuit of knowledge and pleasure, and its only natural to find some you dislike. I’m not too keen on blood play for example. I like a bit of pain, but that’s just a tad too much for me…”

“So should we set a safe word then?” Curran suggested, “Just in case any of us wants to stop.”

“That would be a good idea,” Heinwald replied, “Shall we go with our usual?”

“What’s your usual?” Waver wondered.

Curran sighed, “Dragonfruit… We just picked something neither of us could ever imagine saying during sex, so we don’t get confused if one of us wants to stop.”

“Of course it also had to be something relatively easy to say. Curran has had his unfortunate moments when his speech impediment gets the better of him,” Heinwald giggled, “Whenever he tries to act cool or say something out of character, he horrendously butchers his vocabulary.”

“Hein, what the hell...”

“This is revenge for telling them about my stitches and gray skin being erogenous zones.”

“I suppose I deserved that…”

“So Dragonfruit is to be our safe word?” Iskandar clarified.

“If that’s alright with you guys,” Curran replied.

“I don’t see why not,” Waver said, “But I apologize in advance if I abuse its use…”

“It’s not abusing it if you aren’t enjoying yourself,” Heinwald assured, “If it makes you feel uncomfortable, we stop. No questions asked.”

“Alright,” Waver nodded, “Then I suppose we can try out switching partners. I feel I’d need to mentally prepare myself before we try double penetration.”

“Surprising, considering your partner is hung like a stallion,” Heinwald snickered.

Waver pouted. He couldn’t even think of a retort against that. Though Waver loathed to admit it, he and Heinwald did have another thing in common, as he was quite the size queen himself.

“Please be gentle with me, Curran” Waver sighed.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Curran assured, gently placing his hand on his shoulder.

Curran pinned Waver down on the bed, gently peppering kisses along his body. He slid his hands under the fabric of Waver’s lingerie, softly rubbing his nipples as he licked and nibbled on his ear.

“I’m just doing what Heinwald likes having done to him,” Curran whispered, “This ok with you?”

“Yeah,” Waver whimpered, “It feels good…”

Heinwald turned to Iskandar, his eyes half lidded and his expression smug.

“Shall we continue as well?” Heinwald teased, “And you needn’t hold back, Iskandar. I love it rough.”

“Is that so,” Iskandar growled, “Well I hope you won’t come to regret that.”

Iskandar pushed him against the wall, practically lifting him off of his feet as he bit hard into the gray flesh around his neck, making Heinwald shiver and squirm in delight.

“You don’t mind me biting him, do you Curran?” Iskandar asked.

“Go ahead,” Curran assured, “He loves being marked up.”

“Well then I hope you’re prepared, Heinwald,” Iskandar smirked, cocking his brow eagerly, “Wrap your legs around me and hold on tight.”

Heinwald happily complied. With Curran, he always had to tease him into fucking him roughly and dominating him. Iskandar however commanded him like a king disciplining an unruly subject, and Heinwald would gladly submit if it meant getting the rough sex he craved. As Iskandar continued to bite at his tender flesh, Heinwald gave it back, scratching into his back as he cried out in delight. He felt the blunt tip of Iskandar’s cock nudging at his hole, involuntarily clenching in excitement and anticipation. The slick of Curran’s semen dripping from his agape hole helped to ease him in, but the stretch was unlike anything he’d ever felt before. Heinwald felt like he was being split in half, the thickness of Iskandar’s cock prying him open and stretching him to his limit. Even when Iskandar was only halfway inside of him, Heinwald felt nearly full, but he was more than willing to test the limits of his body, to see how much of this monstrously large cock he could fit inside of him. His nails dug red crescents into Iskandar’s skin as he pressed in further, the pressure against his prostate growing mind numbing. Iskandar was going in deeper than anything Heinwald had experienced before. Perhaps it was his nature as a conqueror, but Iskandar relished into diving into the unknown, unexplored territory of Heinwald’s bowels.

Meanwhile, Waver felt like he was melting. Curran hadn’t even penetrated him yet, but he was already on the verge of another orgasm. His gentle touch, the occasional scratch of Curran’s scruffy goatee as he went in for another kiss, the way his fingers ghosted over his sensitive spots; Waver couldn’t get enough of this intimate pampering.

“Is it ok for me to put it in?” Curran asked, grinding his cock up against Waver’s entrance.

“I’m surprised you’re asking,” Waver replied, “You were so rough with Heinwald earlier.”

“Only because that’s how he likes it. You seemed nervous, so I wanted to be gentle with you.”

“How thoughtful… But you can put it in and be a bit rougher.”

“Dodger that. You know the safeword. If you want me to stop, all you gotta do is say it.”

Waver chuckled at Curran’s slipup. So that was what Heinwald meant by his “speech impediment when he was trying to act cool.” He shivered as Curran slowly pressed inside. He wasn’t as big as what Waver was used to, but Curran still filled him enough to feel satisfied. In comparison to Heinwald’s loud shrieks of pleasure from being fucked roughly into submission, Waver’s were more subdued, gentle coos and mewls as Curran slowly rocked his hips into him.

“You’re so cute,” Curran praised, kissing Waver softly on the lips.

Waver squirmed as Curran grinded against his prostate, massaging the sensitive gland inside of him. He may not have been as big as Iskandar, but Curran was certainly making up for his lack of length with his charm and skill. Curran too found himself enjoying Waver’s body. He wasn’t quite as tight as Heinwald was, but his insides were soft and warm, cushioning his cock in a gentle embrace every time he thrust in.

On the other end, Heinwald was getting fucked into stupidity and bliss. Iskandar was reaching sensitive spots inside of him that he didn’t even know existed, and the slight twinge of pain from Iskandar being just a bit too big for him made the pleasure all the more intense. Heinwald’s insides gripped onto Iskandar’s cock tightly, his rim practically sucking Iskandar back in whenever he pulled out. Swapping partners really was a good idea. Though Iskandar and Curran both enjoyed making love to their respective lovers the most, it was a pleasant surprise to see how compatible Heinwald’s and Waver’s bodies were with them.

“Heinwald,” Iskandar purred, “Are you ready to get a taste of my mana? You dirty little whore?”

“Yesh,” Heinwald panted, “I want it. I want it so badly!”

“Fuck, I feel like I’m going to cum soon too,” Curran grunted, “I’m gonna pick up the pace a bit. Is that ok with you, Waver.”

“G-go ahead,” Waver mewled, “I’m close too.”

Iskandar and Curran began rutting harder into Heinwald and Waver, their moans of pleasure echoing through the room. Iskandar grunted, sheathing himself to his balls inside of Heinwald, making him scream in ecstasy as the two came. Curran and Waver followed suit, Curran slowly rocking out his orgasm as waves of pleasure pulsed through Waver’s body from his release. Iskandar pulled out, laying Heinwald down gently on the bed next to Waver as Curran too withdrew himself from Waver’s body. Mana enriched their bodies once more, and Waver could tell that it would only be another round or two until they were primed and filled with enough mana to pilot the Shadow Border, yet he could already feel his stamina fading, and from the looks of it, Heinwald felt the same.

“I’m sorry if I broke your boyfriend,” Iskandar chuckled.

“Trust me, it’d take a lot to break him,” Curran laughed, “Did you like how Iskandar fucked you babe?”

“Uh huh,” Heinwald replied wistfully, still dazed and glowing in pleasure from his intense orgasm, closing his eyes as bliss overtook him.

“How much longer do you think you and Curran can last?” Waver asked.

“I’m not quite dry yet, but I feel like I could only go on for at most three more rounds,” Iskandar answered, “How about you Curran?”

“Same for me,” Curran rubbed the back of his neck, “Though I think it’s looking more like two, now that I think about it. How’s your mana supply Waver?”

“I’ve already gotten a decent amount,” he confessed, “But while I feel two more round worth of doses would be optimal, I’m beginning to get a bit tired.”

“So what is it you want to do, my treasure,” Iskandar asked, “I’m not too keen on somnophilia.”

Waver swallowed hard. It looked like Heinwald’s earlier suggestion was really the best option; the only way for him to get two more doses worth of mana in one round… was to take both Iskandar and Curran inside of him at the same time.

“I guess we have no choice,” he sighed, spreading his legs reluctantly, “We’ll have to go for double penetration…”

“You still don’t seem too keen on the idea,” Curran said, “I would say we could do Heinwald first to show you it isn’t that bad, but…”

Curran gazed over at his boyfriend, drunk on afterglow and still recovering from the extremely rough sex he just had.

“Well if I am being honest, I am pretty nervous,” Waver spoke candidly, “It took me a while to get used to Iskandar’s size alone, and you aren’t exactly small yourself, Curran. I’m worried the stretch will rip me open…”

“Well then,” Iskandar purred, “Curran and I will just have to make sure you’re nice and relaxed first.”

“And don’t forget, there’s always the safe word,” Curran assured, “If worse comes to worse and you don’t like it, we’ll stop. After all if you’re too tired for two more rounds, Iskandar and I can jack off until we’re about to cum and just finish inside of you so you can get your mana.”

“I…” Waver stammered, “I’m certain you’d rather do the former though…”

“I’ll get no enjoyment from it if you don’t like it, my treasure,” Iskandar cooed, kissing Waver chastely on the lips, “Your pleasure comes first.”

“I feel the same,” Curran agreed, “Even a kinky bastard like Hein has his limits, and I’d be a piss poor boyfriend if I didn’t respect them, so of course I’ll respect your boundaries too.”

Waver relaxed, exhaling softly. Both Curran and Iskandar were such caring partners. He mulled on the thought, imagining what it would feel like to take both of them inside of him. Blush rose to his cheeks as his own member twitched and hardened. If it was the two of them, he could do this.

“I’ll…” Waver choked, “I’ll do it. I’ll try DP, but please be gentle.”

“As you wish, my beloved Waver,” Iskandar whispered.

Waver whimpered as the two began to spoil him, kissing him all over and caressing his sensitive body. They wanted to make sure he was relaxed, to ease his nerves so the safe word wasn’t even necessary. Though Waver’s hole was already gaping from how much sex he had indulged in already, Curran and Iskandar both took their time to stretch him out further. Iskandar grabbed the bottle of lube once more. Even with the slickness of two rounds worth of semen inside of Waver’s body, he wanted to make sure that there would be no uncomfortable friction, not only for Waver’s sake, but for his and Curran’s as well. Once Waver was sufficiently prepared, Iskandar rolled over on his back, pulling Waver on top of him, his back cushioned against Iskandar’s firm pecs and abs. Curran spread Waver’s legs, pushing the chiffon of his lingerie out of the way and holding both his and Iskandar’s thoroughly lubricated cocks together. Waver bit his lip as he felt the heads of their dicks grinding at his hole, gasping in anticipation whenever he felt one tease at his rim.

“Are you still scared, my love?” Iskandar worried, “You’re trembling.”

“Just last minute nerves…” Waver replied, “But the more I worry about it the worse it’ll get… so just hurry up and put them in.”

“How about you give us a count of three before we enter you?” Curran suggested, “Would that help you out?”

“I guess,” Waver replied.

“Ok then, whenever you’re ready,” Curran breathed.

“One…” Waver counted.

He began to feel both of their tips nudging at his entrance, his rim slowly beginning to stretch out to accommodate them.

“T-two,” he choked.

The heads of their cocks slipped past Waver’s rim, making him shiver as they slowly pressed inward.

“Three!” Waver exclaimed.

He screamed as the two pushed all the way in, tears pricking at his eyes. It hurt. He felt like he was being stuffed beyond capacity. Yet with it, there was a certain spark of pleasure, a tingling feeling welling up inside of him from being so full. He lay a hand on top of his swelling stomach, amazed that two big dicks were inside of him right now.

“We’re both all the way in,” Iskandar comforted, “Do you feel well my treasure.”

“It’s…” Waver stuttered, “It’s strange… But I suppose I don’t dislike it.”

“You’re not in pain, right?” Curran worried, “Want me to check to see if you’re bleeding?”

“No, I’m fine…” Waver panted, “It hurt a bit at first, but I’m… Just give me a moment to adjust. Then you can move.”

“Take your time,” Curran nodded.

Waver took deep breaths, trying to relax himself until the fullness felt natural. Once the pain subsided to a dull throb, he nodded to Iskandar and Curran, signaling them that it was ok to move. Their initial strokes were slow and shallow, allowing Waver to get used to the sensation at first. The two took cues from Waver’s reactions, picking up the pace or slowing down based on how he felt. If he cringed in pain, they would pause to shower him in kisses until he relaxed again. If he moaned in pleasure, they would pick up the pace to try to stimulate him even more. Waver never would have thought he’d enjoy this so much, but being taken care of, being pleasured by two handsome men with huge dicks, he felt like he was in heaven.

“How are you feeling?” Iskandar asked, rubbing Waver’s chest to stimulate his nipples.

“Ah-amazing,” Waver mewled.

“Good, good,” Iskandar cooed, “You feel so perfect around me, my treasure.”

The tender moment was cut short as Heinwald came to, emerging from his pleasure-induced coma.

“You started without me?” Heinwald grumbled, “How could you, Curran…”

“Babe, you weren’t really capable of giving consent earlier,” Curran said, “You practically passed out.”

“I wanted to be double penetrated first…” Heinwald pouted.

“Just be patient,” Curran sighed, “You’ll get your turn once we’re done pleasuring Waver.”

“You’re torturing me,” Heinwald whined, “You’re a horrible boyfriend Curran.”

“Curran, is he ok?” Iskandar worried.

“He’s fine,” Curran assured, “He can just be a little brat sometimes.”

“I know, but I’m _your_ brat,” Heinwald replied snarkily, “Still… what do you expect me to do while I wait? Masturbate?”

“I mean you can,” Curran chuckled, “Come on babe, it’s not the end of the world. You aren’t gonna get blue balls just waiting a few more minutes.”

Heinwald scowled, grumbling to himself. Waver looked like he was on cloud nine. He wanted to experience that pleasure too. Suddenly, he came up with an idea. Mischievously, he walked over to the bed, smirking at Waver as he basked in pleasure. Iskandar and Curran might be preoccupied, but Waver’s dick was free for the taking. He straddled across Waver’s waist, grabbing onto his cock and making him whimper.

“Hey, Hein,” Curran scolded, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Am I not allowed to help you pleasure him as well?” Heinwald asked, “Waver’s poor dick is straining, I might as well ride him to help coax out his release, even if he is a bit small for my tastes.”

“Hey!” Waver frowned, “Who are you calling sma-AH!”

“Don’t mind me,” Heinwald interrupted, sliding down on Waver’s dick to take him inside of him.

“Mmm I take it back,” Heinwald mewled, “Your dick does have a nice curve to it. It may not fill me up, but it does hit me… just right…”

Waver’s jaw went slack as moans poured from his mouth. He had both Curran’s and Iskandar’s dicks stimulating him from behind while Heinwald rode him, his warm, tight, damp insides wringing out his cock. It was bordering on overstimulation, being filled to the brim while having his own dick buried inside of Heinwald. Heinwald cut off both his and Waver’s moans, going in for another kiss as Curran and Iskandar’s movements into Waver’s body only helped him establish a rhythm. Waver couldn’t last much longer, and soon Heinwald felt a familiar warm, wet sensation as Waver came inside of him. Waver’s insides clenched down, making Curran and Iskandar cum deep inside of him. As soon as Heinwald pulled off and Curran and Iskandar pulled out, Waver collapsed, completely spent, but satisfied, and sufficiently filled with mana.

“Well, is it my turn now?” Heinwald asked eagerly.

“I’m a bit concerned about Waver,” Curran worried, “Iskandar, is he all right?”

Iskandar kissed him softly. Though the response was a bit delayed, Waver’s lips puckered back to return the kiss.

“He’s perfectly fine,” Iskandar assured, “Just tired.”

“Well, I suppose we should let him rest then,” Heinwald resigned, “I was looking forward to my turn, but I don’t want to disturb him.”

Curran and Iskandar glanced at each other, picking Heinwald up as if he weighed nothing and sandwiching him between them. Heinwald yelped as he felt their glans nudging at his hole

“Don’t worry, you’ll get your turn,” Curran purred, “Though I can’t guarantee we’ll be gentle.”

“H-hey, wait a moment...” Heinwald hesitated.

“Getting cold feet? How unlike you,” Curran teased.

“I’m not,” Heinwald shivered, “I’m… AH!”

Heinwald cried out as the two pressed inside of him. His lack of physical and mental preparation made the sensation all the more intense, almost too intense surprisingly.

“S-slow down a bit…” he begged.

“I thought you liked it rough,” Curran purred, “How does it feel, having your slutty ass swallow up both of our dicks?”

Heinwald bit his lip as the two began to move faster and harder. It felt good, but the sensation was a bit frightening. Heinwald had never been stretched this wide. He feared Curran would never let him hear the end of it, but at least Waver wasn’t awake to see him chickening out.

“Dragonfruit, dragonfruit!” he cried out.

Curran and Iskandar froze, checking on Heinwald to make sure he wasn’t hurt.

“What’s the matter Hein,” Curran asked, concerned for his partner’s wellbeing, “You hurt? Scared? Do you want us to stop?”

“Shit I can’t believe _I _was the one to use the safe word…” Heinwald mumbled, “I feel like a hypocrite.”

“It’s ok Heinwald, it’s ok,” Curran assured, running his fingers through his hair, “Just tell me what’s wrong?”

“It was just a bit too rough…” Heinwald confessed, “It wouldn’t be too much to ask you to go a little gentler, right?”

“Of course not,” Iskandar assured, “If you want it gentler, we can do it gentler.”

“You ok for us to continue as long as we’re gentle?” Curran asked.

“Yeah, go ahead,” Heinwald nodded.

Heinwald mewled as the two took it slowly, rocking their hips upward into his quivering hole. He was surprised at how good gentle sex felt. The stretch gave him enough pain to satisfy his masochistic nature while the slow, gentle thrusts of Iskandar’s and Curran’s hips lulled him into ecstasy. He dug his nails into Curran’s chest, his dick grinding against his taut abs. Perhaps it was his head start from riding Waver, but Heinwald felt like he could cum at any second.

“Heinwald,” Curran whispered, “You feeling ok?”

“I’m close…” Heinwald mewled, “Just… just a bit more…”

Curran and Iskandar slightly picked up the pace, stimulating Heinwald’s prostate with vigor. He held on tight to Curran, his body shivering as he climaxed, feeling Curran and Iskandar fill him up with their seed. Like Waver before him, Heinwald suddenly felt exhausted, his stamina completely spent. His head bobbed and eyelids grew heavy, falling asleep in Curran and Iskandar’s arms.

“So cute,” Curran praised, kissing Heinwald on his forehead.

The two pulled out, laying him down on the bed next to Waver. Both of them looked so peaceful and satisfied, their chests gently rising and falling in relaxed slumber.

“Should we change them out of their lingerie?” Curran asked, “I doubt that’s comfortable to sleep in.”

“I think that would be wise,” Iskandar chuckled, “If you look in the dresser, you’ll find some of my tee shirts. I believe that would make comfortable sleepwear for them. In the mean time, I’ll start undressing them.”

As Curran walked over to the dresser, Iskandar gave Waver a chaste peck on the lips, undoing his now disheveled braided bun and letting his hair fall loose. He slid the sweat and semen drenched stockings off of his legs before untying the bow on the gown, sliding it off until Waver was completely bare. As sexy as Waver looked in his lingerie, Iskandar found him most beautiful as he was; his natural allure more beautiful than a work of art. Curran returned from the dresser, handing off a tee shirt to Iskandar before he started undressing Heinwald. Heinwald’s already curly hair seemed even more so after being taken out of the braid, slightly damp with sweat from his rough lovemaking. The latex garments proved a struggle to remove, practically plastered to Heinwald’s skin, but with enough care and tenderness, he was able to remove them, kissing the clammy spots on his skin from the chafing material. He slipped the white tee shirt over Heinwald’s head. Much like with Waver, it looked more like a gown against his slender figure than a shirt, but they looked comfortable at the very least.

“It’ll be a tight squeeze if we join them,” Curran laughed, “Do you think they’ll mind?”

“I’m certain they won’t,” Iskandar smiled.

The two put their underwear back on, placing the covers on top of their partners before snuggling up behind them.

“I love you so much Heinwald,” Curran cooed.

“Love you too,” Heinwald whispered, half asleep.

“Sleep well my treasure,” Iskandar smirked, hugging Waver tightly, “My beloved Waver.”

“Rider…” Waver mumbled in his sleep, “Love you…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For reference for my DL readers, the lingerie that Waver and Hein are wearing appear on two craft essences (Fate’s wyrmprint equivalent). Waver is wearing Royal Icing, while Heinwald is in Trick or Treatment


	10. Chapter 10

A dull throb pulsed through Heinwald’s rear as he woke up. After how much sex he had last night, it was to be expected, but with this annoying pain he hoped that the journey home in the Shadow Border wouldn’t require much sitting. He lay sandwiched between Waver and Curran, Iskandar spooning Waver on the other side. That certainly explained why the bed felt a bit cramped, but he didn’t exactly mind. Cuddling with Curran always put him at ease, and with his dear new friends joining him, he felt extremely comfortable. He turned his head, kissing Curran to wake him up.

“My dear, it’s morning,” he whispered.

Curran yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, “Morning Hein. You feeling ok?”

“Just a bit sore, but otherwise, perfectly fine. Would you help me out of bed? I don’t want to disturb them.”

Curran looked to Waver and Iskandar, still fast asleep and snuggled up tightly against each other.

“Sure thing,” Curran responded, holding out his hand to Heinwald.

Heinwald took Curran’s hand, his legs wobbling as he stood up. Once he had his balance, Heinwald stripped off the tee shirt that he was given for pajamas, grabbing his own clothes from a neatly folded pile in the restroom. Curran picked up his haphazardly strewn clothes from the floor, dressing himself as well. Just as they were about to leave, Curran heard a deep inhale and rustling coming from the bed. Iskandar had woken up.

“Sorry if we disturbed you,” Curran apologized softly.

“You needn’t worry about that. I was just waking up myself,” Iskandar chuckled, “Allow me to wake Waver so we may all enjoy one last meal together in Chaldea.”

He rest his hand atop Waver’s shoulder, gently shaking him awake as he whispered in his ear.

“My treasure, it’s time to wake up,” he purred.

“Five more minutes,” Waver grumbled, wrapping the now looser sheets around him like a caterpillar in a cocoon.

“You don’t want to be rude before we see Curran and Heinwald off, do you,” Iskandar said.

“He can sleep longer if he wants,” Heinwald chuckled, “Curran has a tendency to oversleep as well. It’s a miracle he didn’t fight me on waking him today.”

Curran bashfully rubbed the back of his neck, “I just want to see Lathna again.”

“You don’t have to hide it Curran, I find it endearing,” Heinwald smiled, kissing him on the cheek, “We’ll meet you two in the dining commons.”

“We’ll see you shortly,” Iskandar replied.

Curran and Heinwald gathered the rest of their things before leaving the bedroom, heading down the halls to the dining commons. Though they hadn’t spent much time here, Chaldea was already starting to feel like a second home. Prince Euden and Master Gudako were birds of a feather in terms of their humanitarianism and passion as a leader. Heinwald was certain that if they joined forces, both Morsayati and the Crypters of this world would seem less monstrous of a threat. And much like how he had bonded with Waver, Heinwald could easily imagine several other allies at the Halidom becoming good friends with the servants here. Mym would bond with Quetzalcoatl, two deities of the flame sharing fighting techniques and love stories. Ezelith and Ishtar practically seemed like the same person divided in twain, and they would either be fast friends or bitter rivals, trying to one up each other to see who was superior. Nitocris would happily listen as Nefaria recounted tales of her antiquated kingdom while Hildegard and Jeanne D’Arc exchanged prayers of piety. The more he thought about it, the less differences Heinwald could see between the Halidom of New Alberia and Chaldea.

“Hein,” Curran interrupted, cutting Heinwald off from his daydreaming, “What do you want for breakfast? I’m about to order for us.”

“Oh,” Heinwald thought, snapping back to reality, “I’m in the mood for a strawberry crepe.”

“Emiya, can you make one of those?” Curran shouted back to the kitchen.

“Easily,” Emiya smiled, “I’ll have it right out.”

As they took a seat in the dining hall, Heinwald sighed melancholically. During his brief time at Chaldea, he had befriended several of the servants and staff. Even with the Shadow Border, Heinwald worried that the link between their worlds was too unstable, and they would never see their friends here again. Besides, even if the vehicle did prove to be a consistent method for travelling from Chaldea to Grastaea and back, it would essentially be out of his hands. The otherworld fragments were more of a one-way ticket, so if he ever wanted to return here, he’d have to hope that one of his new friends would reach out and taxi him over with the Shadow Border. He heard a bell ring from the pickup counter, and Curran stood up to go grab their breakfasts. As Curran returned with their platters, Waver and Iskandar approached them, Waver sitting down at his table while Iskandar went to order.

“Did you sleep well?” Heinwald asked.

“Woke up with a horrible ache in my lower back,” Waver grumbled.

“Oddly enough I woke up with one too. I wonder what could have possibly caused it?” Heinwald chuckled.

“Got you your crepe,” Curran interrupted setting down a set of silverware and the delicately folded and expertly decorated meal.

“Thank you my dear,” Heinwald replied, already slicing into the first piece.

The crepe melted in his mouth, sweet whipped cream and macerated strawberries dancing on his tongue.

“It’s delicious,” he praised, “How is your breakfa-“

Heinwald nearly choked mid-sentence, Waver giggling at Heinwald gaped at Curran’s breakfast platter. It was piled high with beans, bacon, sausages, eggs, and tomatoes, all with a stack of toast on the side.

“Are you trying to clean out their food supply Curran?” Heinwald scolded.

“I just thought I’d need the energy,” Curran said, already digging into one of his sausages.

“You’ve never seen a full English breakfast before Heinwald?” Waver chuckled, “It’s actually a favorite from my homeland.”

“I can’t imagine you eating so much,” Heinwald confessed, “If I ate that I’d be stuffed for a week.”

“You just have a tiny appetite for anything that isn’t a dessert,” Curran teased.

Heinwald scowled, continuing to eat his crepe while staring daggers at Curran.

“I don’t eat it so often anymore but my grandmother always used to make it when she was still around,” Waver reminisced, “Told me it would help me get taller.”

“Is that how you managed to grow a foot at 19?” Iskandar chuckled.

“Iskandar!” Waver exclaimed, blushing to his ears.

“I told him more people would respect him if he grew thirty centimeters,” Iskandar shared, “I never would have expected him to actually do it! You went quite the growth spurt my love.”

“I was a late bloomer ok…” Waver confessed, “And you have no room to talk! I may have been only 5’1” at 19, but you were 4’11” at fifteen…”

“Iskandar that short in his teens?” Curran replied with shock, “From how filled out you are, I would have thought you were at least 6 feet tall by then, Isky.”

“Well, I suppose I was a later bloomer as well,” he grinned.

The bell rang out once again on the pickup counter, and this time Iskandar was slipping away to go pick up their orders.

“Sometimes late is actually better Waver,” Heinwald said, “I hit 5’11” at sixteen and stopped growing. You’re the taller one in the end.”

“Still it’s a bit embarrassing for Iskandar to go and say that,” Waver mumbled.

“Think of it this way,” Heinwald comforted, “Now we each know something embarrassing about each other; you know about my discolored skin and Curran’s speech impediment, and we about you and Iskandar growing late. Isn’t that the true mark of friendship?”

“I suppose…” Waver sighed.

“If you think the score ain’t even,” Curran offered, “Once we get to Grastaea I can show you some portraits of Heinwald as a kid back at his manor.”

“CURRAN!” Heinwald shouted.

“I’m back,” Iskandar added, setting down his breakfast burrito and Waver’s egg white, spinach omelet, “Did I miss anything?”

“We were just talking about Heinwald’s baby pictures,” Waver joked.

Heinwald hung his head, grumbling angrily “I hate you all…”

“Stop being so grumpy babe,” Curran laughed, “You were a cute kid. You’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“I don’t trust your definition of cute.”

“But I think _you’re _cute.”

“Exactly my point.”

“Don’t speak so lowly of yourself, Heinwald,” Iskandar interjected, “You’re a fine looking gentleman.”

“If you insist,” Heinwald sighed.

Heinwald continued chatting away with the three at his table, savoring every moment spent with them. After breakfast was over, they’d head to the Shadow Border and return home. It’s not that Heinwald didn’t want to return; he had grown rather homesick of the Library Obcura and was worried about how Lathna was faring, but he didn’t want this to be the last time he and Curran saw Waver and Iskandar again. What was the point of forging their friendship if they would be separated forever in mere hours? He pushed the last piece of his crepe around the plate, wishing desperately for time to freeze, to allow him to sear the fleeting moments spent with his dear new friends into his memory. Curran grabbed onto the edge of Heinwald’s plate, trying to take it away from him.

“You done with your breakfast?” he asked.

“Hm?” Heinwald replied, somewhat lost in thought, “Oh, I suppose…”

“Then as soon as we finish bussing our plates, shall we head to the Shadow Border?” Iskandar suggested.

“That would probably be for the best,” Heinwald sighed.

He handed his plate to Curran, who gladly took Iskandar’s and Waver’s as well before returning it to the pickup counter for cleaning. Just as they were about to leave the dining hall, two familiar faces stopped them. It was Waver’s younger sister Reines and his apprentice Gray, both with looks of determination and curiosity on their faces.

“Sir!” Gray interjected, “Before you take the Shadow Border, Reines and I had something we wanted to discuss with you?”

“Can it not wait until Iskandar and I return?” Waver asked, “I’m sure Heinwald and Curran want to return home.”

“Well you see…” Gray suggested, “We were wondering if we could come with you. I… I would love to meet Lathna. I want to see for myself what she thinks of the fudge.”

“Can the Shadow Border fit the six of us?” Heinwald wondered, “If so, I see no harm in bringing them along.”

“Well,” Waver flushed, “As long as they promise not to enter the pilot chamber…”

“What’s wrong with the pilot chamber?” Heinwald worried.

“Well…” Waver choked, “I suppose you’ll see once we get to the Shadow Border.”

“So does that mean we can come?” Gray beamed.

“I guess,” Waver conceded, “But Reines, please promise to behave yourself…”

“No promises, dear brother!” she snickered.

With their two additional passengers in tow, Waver lead the band of six over to Chaldea’s garage, where the Shadow Border was stored away. DaVinci had left the doors unlocked and the key to the pilot chamber on the dashboard. Gray and Reines immediately rushed over to the couch, sitting down next to each other and strapping in while Curran examined the mechanics of the vehicle. It was completely state of the art, like nothing he had ever seen before in Grastaea. Though it would be confusing to some, this technology would be a great boon for the Halidom, especially since Princess Chelle was so hesitant to lend aid from the technologically advanced Chanzellia. Meanwhile, Waver unlocked the door to the pilot chambers, stepping inside with Heinwald and turning on the light. In the center of the room was what looked like a cylindrical containment chamber, filled with a glowing blue liquid.

“So, how am I to pilot this vehicle?” Heinwald asked, “I see no wheels or pedals to maneuver it.”

“Well, here’s the thing,” Waver explained, “The Shadow Border is piloted from inside that containment chamber. The pilot must strip naked and submerge themselves in the mana conductive fluid, then they’ll be able to discern the currents within the void space.”

“I suppose I see why you didn’t want your sister and apprentice coming in here,” Heinwald chuckled, “Well, I suppose I’d better get ready to pilot so we can start the journey home.”

“I’ll help you into the chamber. DaVinci usually needs assistance to enter and exit, and considering we’ve already… well… seen each other naked, I figure it would be best for me to help you in.”

“Very well. It’s much appreciated. Thank you, Waver.”

Without hesitation, Heinwald began to strip off his robes, handing them to Waver to fold up so the fine fabric wouldn’t wrinkle. Blush rose to Waver’s cheeks. As Heinwald peeled off layers of his clothing, the memory of Heinwald riding him flashed across his mind. By the time Heinwald tugged off his underwear, his last layer if clothing, Waver’s member hardened in his pants. He looked away in guilt and embarrassment. Waver was completely devoted to Iskandar through and through, yet after having sex with Heinwald and Curran the night before, his body craved more. Heinwald looked downward, noticing the bulge forming in Waver’s pants, a devilish smirk stretching across his face.

“Ho? What do we have here?” Heinwald teased.

“It’s nothing,” Waver blushed, “Now let’s hurry up and get you into the chamber.”

Waver whimpered as Heinwald cupped his package, rubbing it through the thin fabric of his slacks.

“Getting this hard after seeing me naked?” Heinwald purred, “And with our boyfriends and your sister and apprentice right outside. You really are naughty, Waver.”

Heinwald’s honeyed voice went straight to Waver’s groin, precum already starting to leak from the tip of his cock.

“Were you not completely satisfied from last night?” Heinwald teased, “I’m still a bit soft back there. If you want to give me a little bit more mana I wouldn’t say no.”

“Shouldn’t we ask Curran and Iskandar first?” Waver worried, “I wouldn’t want them to think we were cheating on them.”

“I understand your paranoia. I adore Curran. He’s the only man for me, but after everything we did last night, I doubt they would object to us transferring mana again. But if you really are that worried about it, allow me.”

Heinwald cracked open the door, flicking his wrist to call Curran and Iskandar over.

“Is everything alright?” Curran wondered.

“I just need a bit more mana,” Heinwald blushed, “Since Waver is in here already, is it ok if he gives it to me? We wanted to check with you first.”

“I mean, I don’t see why not,” Curran replied, “As much as I would like to come in there and give it to you myself it feels like my balls are all dried up.”

“I feel the same,” Iskandar added, “You and Waver certainly gave us quite the night last night. If Waver has the mana to give you and neither you nor Curran has an issue with it, then I see no problem in letting him embrace you.”

“Wonderful,” Heinwald smiled, craning his neck out to give Curran a kiss, “We’ll try to make it quick so we can head out soon.”

“Gotcha. We’ll be waiting out here,” Curran responded.

Heinwald closed the door behind him, “Well Waver, it seems our partners are fine with it. Now, how about I help you out and you give me some of your mana.”

Waver whimpered as Heinwald’s hand dipped into his pants, rubbing and teasing his smooth shaft. He got down on his knees, unzipping his pants with his teeth to free Waver’s erection from its confines. Heinwald licked his lips in anticipation, planting a kiss on the leaking tip and lapping up the precum. Waver bit his lip to muffle his moans as Heinwald swirled his tongue around his cock, plunging his head downward to take it completely inside of his mouth. Waver bucked his hips into the warm wetness as Heinwald sucked him off, pulling his dick to the back of his throat and humming in delight.

“You tashte nice,” Heinwald mumbled, still suckling and teasing Waver’s dick.

“You’re…” Waver choked, “Really good at this Heinwald… How did you learn…”

Heinwald pulled his mouth off of Waver’s dick, still stroking the saliva drenched length as he looked up at Waver through half lidded eyes.

“I have a bit of an oral fixation,” Heinwald confessed, “You can’t imagine how many blowjobs I’ve given Curran under his desk at work. It’s absolutely delectable seeing him try to hide his pleasure and hold back when he’s talking to clients, all the while I’m sucking him off.”

Waver swallowed hard. He knew Heinwald was a masochist, but that was surprisingly sadistic of him. Waver was amazed at how a man with such a dominant personality would relish so much in being on the receiving end, but then again, power bottoms were a thing; and Heinwald seemed to embody the term in every aspect.

“Well, do you want me to suck your mana out orally…” Heinwald whispered, standing up so his soft lips brushed against Waver’s ears, “Or anally?”

Waver swallowed hard, responding only with his hands wandering to Heinwald’s rear, groping at his soft globes.

“Good choice,” Heinwald breathed, “Let me stretch myself out a bit.”

Heinwald reached around to his hole, still a bit stretched from the night before. He grimaced as he pressed a finger inside. Though they didn’t have any lube on them, he was still plenty wet from the night before, lubricant and a mixture of Curran and Iskandar’s semen still clinging to his insides. He whimpered as he felt one of Waver’s fingers press inside of him too, making him bite down on Waver’s collarbone to silence himself. Their fingers scissored open his insides, grazing his prostate and making his legs wobble as pleasure shot up his spine like a rocket.

“I think I’m ready,” Heinwald panted, turning around and spreading his ass, “Hurry up and put it in.”

Waver positioned the tip of his cock at Heinwald’s entrance, his blunt head stretching Heinwald’s rim open. Heinwald shivered, relishing in the feeling of being filled as Waver pressed deeper inside. Waver bit down onto Heinwald’s shoulder trying to hold back his own moans as he sheathed himself within Heinwald completely, savoring his sweet, tight warmth. Waver almost always preferred being penetrated, submitting instead of dominating, but there was something about Heinwald’s body that made him want to be on top while he fucked him. Perhaps it was Heinwald’s snarky attitude, or maybe it was the way he talked dirty that made Waver feel like he was being dominated even when he was on the giving end, but Waver couldn’t get enough of the sensation of Heinwald squeezing tightly around his cock.

Waver began to move, letting his lust take control as he jammed his dick into Heinwald’s prostate, making Heinwald mewl and whimper in pleasure. He rutted in and out of him, slamming his hips against the soft cushion of Heinwald’s ass, back into the tightness that seemed to welcome him with every thrust.

“Yeah… that’s good,” he cooed, “You’re fucking me so well, Waver.”

Waver wrapped his fist around Heinwald’s cock, stroking him off and making his panting more erratic.

“We have to finish up quickly,” Waver grunted, “Shit I’m already close…”

“Just keep doing what you’re doing,” Heinwald panted, “And I’ll cum soon too.”

Waver quickened the pace of his strokes; both around Heinwald’s cock and into his body. He could already feel Heinwald’s insides quivering and tensing around him. Both of them were close. With one last thrust, Heinwald came all over Waver’s hand, moans of delight spilling from his mouth and his insides clenching into a vice grip around Waver’s dick. That delightful tightness sent Waver over the edge, filling Heinwald up with his semen, his mana. The two panted roughly as pleasure washed over them, Waver pulling his softening cock from Heinwald’s hole. Heinwald turned around to face Waver, the smile across his lips a touch melancholic.

“Is something the matter?” Waver worried, “I’m sorry if I wasn’t as good as Curran…”

“No you were great,” Heinwald assured, “But if I’m being honest… I’m really going to miss you… Curran and I both feel like you and Iskandar would make wonderful life long friends… but I worry that once we return to Grastaea, that will be the end of it…”

“What are you talking about? If the Shadow Border can get us to your world and back effectively, Iskandar and I would love to come to visit you. I’m happy to consider you a close friend as well, Heinwald. To part here forever would hurt Iskandar and I as much as it would hurt you and Curran. I promise that we’ll come and visit you whenever we can. Besides, you still owe the two of us that double date at that café Curran mentioned.”

Heinwald chuckled, his fears melting away. That was all he needed to hear, the confirmation that the beautiful friendship that he had made would stay strong, and even though they were literally worlds apart, Waver and Iskandar would try their best to see them from time to time.

“Thank you, Waver,” Heinwald smiled, “Now let us return home. To the Halidom. To Lathna.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha horny monkey brain go brrrr  
Originally was going to end it here, but I'll probably write one or two more chapters.


	11. Chapter 11

Euden trudged through the forest, his trusty crew of retainers in tow. A young girl gripped tightly onto his hand, her violet eyes darting around the woods nervously.

“Heinwald!” Euden called out, “Curran!”

“Where are you guys?” Ranzal, Euden’s muscular, ax wielding friend shouted, “Your kid’s been worried sick about you two!”

The little girl turned to the strawberry blonde haired female knight in the group, gripping onto the hem of her dress nervously.

“Elisanne…” she whimpered, “You don’t think… a fiend ate them… do you?”

“Of course not Lathna,” Elisanne assured, “Curran is quite the strong warrior and Heinwald is an excellent healer. Wherever they are, I’m certain they’re unharmed.”

“Still I can’t help but feel bad for the poor girl…” Alex, the hooded assassin sighed, “I’m certain she misses her guardians.”

Suddenly, the sky split open above them. Could it be another rift? A tear in the otherworld? Was there another fiend prepared to strike against them? The band readied their weapons, preparing to engage their foe, but before the first arrow could be loosed or spell could be slung, Cleo noticed something. The tear was getting larger, and a vehicle resembling an armored tank was starting to emerge.

“What… what in the world?” Cleo stammered.

The vehicle dipped out of the tear, falling from the sky as the tear closed up behind it.

“Everyone! Disperse!” Euden ordered, “Take cover!”

The group scattered as the vehicle fell to the forest floor. Although it landed with a loud thud, it looked completely unscathed by the impact. Luca, the group’s Sylvan archer drew his bow, preparing to fire a shot at the unidentified falling object.

“You don’t think it’s some sort of Dyrenelle war machine, do you?” Luca swallowed hard.

“Want me to blow it sky high, darling?” Mym, the fiery dragon maiden offered.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Euden confessed, “Stand your ground and don’t attack until its occupants come out. We don’t know if they’re friend or foe yet.”

Euden held his breath as the door to the machine cracked open. Tears of relief spilled from Lathna’s eyes as she let go of Euden’s hand to run to the man disembarking the vehicle.

“Lathna?” Euden worried, “Where are you…”

Euden took a closer look at the first man to exit the cabin. He’d know that blonde hair, goatee, and scar anywhere. That had to be Curran. Lathna wrapped her arms around his leg, hugging him tightly. Curran patted her on the head, ruffling her long, beige curls under her black beret.

“Sorry to keep you waiting Lathna,” Curran grinned.

“I was so scared…” she cried, “Where’s Heinwald? Is he ok?”

“I’m right here, Lathna,” Heinwald smiled, stepping out of the vehicle.

Heinwald knelt down, pulling Lathna into a tight hug. Curran joined in, comforting Lathna as she cried tears of joy at their return.

“Where were you?” Lathna sniffed, “I… I came to see you… but Prince Euden said you were gone for weeks! I… I was so worried about you.”

“Don’t worry Lathna, we’re here now,” Heinwald cooed, “I’m so sorry we were gone for so long. You must think we’re terrible guardians… but don’t worry. We promise that we’ll never leave without warning again. Can you find it in your heart to forgive us?”

“I’m just… glad you’re ok…” she whimpered.

“Oh, so this is Lathna!” a booming voice said from the doorway of the vehicle.

Euden and his party turned their gazes back to the machine, watching as four more people stepped out from inside; a large, muscular man with bright red hair and leather armor, a lanky man with long, brown hair and a red coat, a blonde, teenage girl in a blue military uniform, and a shy looking girl with vibrant turquoise eyes, hiding under a long, hooded cloak.

“Curran… Heinwald…” Lathna wondered, hiding behind her guardians meekly, “Who are they?”

“Lathna, these are our new friends,” Curran explained, “You see, Heinwald and I took a bit of a detour from the Space Between Worlds and ended up in a world parallel to ours. But the people there were kind, and with their help, they brought us back home.”

“Your majesty,” Heinwald said to Euden, “Allow me to introduce our new companions; Iskandar, Lord El Melloi II, Reines El Melloi Archisorte, and Gray.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you all,” Euden replied, “My name is Euden, Seventh Scion of Alberia and Prince of the Halidom of New Alberia. These are my retainers and friends, Elisanne, Ranzal, Cleo, Luca, Mym, and Alex. I can’t thank you enough for bringing Curran and Heinwald home. Every member of my army is a dear and trusted friend of mine.”

“The pleasure is all ours,” Iskandar beamed, “Curran told me that you are quite the adept leader. As a king myself, it is an honor to meet such a highly regarded ruler like you.”

“You’re a king?” Euden wondered, “Heinwald, what _was_ this world you went to? Was it anything like Askr?”

“It was far more advanced than anything I’ve seen before,” Heinwald explained, “Their magic was quite different from our world’s, but it was still intriguing nonetheless. You see, the four you see before you are famous warriors from their world’s history, or at least vessels of them.”

“That’s amazing,” Euden replied, “Would the four of you be interested in joining us as allies? We could always use strong warriors such as yourselves.”

“As much as we’d love to, I’m afraid that decision lies with our master,” Waver sighed, “But since we were able to travel to your world safely, I don’t see why we can’t bring her over some time to negotiate the terms of an alliance.”

“That sounds wonderful!” Euden beamed, “I would be more than happy to meet her!”

“Your majesty,” Heinwald interjected, “Would you mind if we showed our dear new friends around the Halidom? Curran and I told them all about Alberia and piqued their interests.”

“I don’t see why not,” Euden replied, “Unless they need to head back to their world soon.”

“We have the Shadow Border for the entire day,” Waver explained, “And if an emergency does come up, Master can just call for us to return home with the Shadow Border with one of her command spells.”

“Well then, let’s head back. I’ll give you all the grand tour,” Euden offered.

As Euden’s party began to retreat from the forest, Lathna ran up to Waver and Iskandar, her guardians’ companions who helped them return safely.

“Umm…” she stuttered, “Thank you for helping out Curran and Heinwald… I… I don’t know what I would do without my papas…”

“We were glad to help,” Iskandar assured, “Besides, the main reason they wanted to return here was to see you again. They have told us nothing but good things about their little girl, and now I can certainly see why.”

“By the way Lathna,” Heinwald interjected, “Gray and you have something in common. Iskandar and Waver look after her just like how Curran and I take care of you.”

“You’re her papas?” Lathna asked Waver.

“We are,” Waver smiled gently, pulling his apprentice into a hug, “And she’s just as sweet of a girl as you are.”

“Heinwald,” Gray asked, “Are you going to give her that treat I made?”

“Oh of course,” Heinwald replied, pulling the jar of fudge out from his robes, “Gray made this for the three of us. It’s chocolate fudge. Would you like to try one?”

Lathna’s eyes lit up at the sight of the fluffy, light brown cubes, “Can I?”

“Of course,” Gray smiled, “I hope you like it.”

Heinwald unscrewed the lid to the jar, taking a piece of fudge out and handing it to Lathna. Lathna popped it in her mouth, a smirk stretching across her face as she chewed the delicious morsel.

“It’s so yummy!” Lathna beamed, “Thank you Miss Gray.”

“Lathna, you don’t need to call me _Miss _Gray,” Gray chuckled.

“Hmm,” Lathna pondered, “Then can I call you Big Sister Gray?”

Gray’s face went as red as cherries. She had always wanted a little sister, and was flattered that Lathna viewed her as such.

“Oh? What’s the matter Gray?” Reines teased, “Or should I say _big sister Gray_?”

“R-Reines!” Gray stammered, pulling her hood over her face.

“We should probably catch up with the rest of the group,” Heinwald said, “Curran and I know our way to the Halidom, so just follow our lead.”

Curran and Heinwald each took one of Lathna’s hands, signaling to the rest of the group to follow them. As they cut through the forest, the light of day began to poke out through the trees. Heinwald was happy that there wasn’t much of a time difference between worlds. If they had appeared in the middle of the night, the six of them would have had to fight off countless nocturnal fiends that lurked in the forest. Soon enough they caught up with Euden and his band. The trees grew thinner, and Curran could already make out the bridge leading to the castle.

“Yeast your eyes,” Curran announced, “Welcome to the Halidom of New Alberia!”

Heinwald sighed and Lathna giggled at Curran’s slipup, but their companions didn’t seem to mind at all. Instead they were in awe at the beautiful scenery. Quaint, yet well-maintained cottages lined the outskirts, civilians and refugees relaxing, working, and enjoying life right outside of them. As they made their way to the heart of the kingdom, they noticed various facilities built around the grounds: a house made of sweets, a giant, papier-mache dragon, a circus tent, and many more. Yet the one that caught Waver’s eye the most was the ominous looking library standing tall and proud near the mines.

“Admiring the Library Obscura are you?” Heinwald asked, “It is quite the treasure trove of knowledge.”

“I would love to look through it sometime,” Waver said.

“I’d happily lend you any of the works within. Euden has essentially assigned me the role of its curator, and I trust you’d return it eventually. Just steer clear of the Liber Grimortis and Necronomicon… I wouldn’t want my dear friend’s sanity to be devoured…”

“Thank you, Heinwald.”

They continued across the grounds, nearing the castle itself. Ten mana fonts stood in front of the building, each glowing with the vibrant colors of the different types of elemental mana. As Waver walked past the green font, he felt a surge of energy, stepping back in surprise.

“Oh? It appears your affinity here is for wind mana,” Heinwald commented, “Perhaps I could ask Ramona to forge you a wand as a souvenir. I’m certain we have enough high dragon tails to make you one.”

“Hm? Now I’m curious to find out what type of mana best fits me,” Reines commented, running off to test her affinity.

She stopped in front of the blue font, feeling drawn to the mana emanating from it.

“Hmm…” she thought, “Is this water type mana?”

“It is,” Heinwald replied, “So you feel a connection to that element.”

“I primarily fight with mercury golems, so I suppose that being a water mage in your world would make sense,” Reines snickered.

“What type is this yellow font?” Iskandar wondered, feeling drawn to it.

“Light,” Curran said, “That’s the opposite element from Hein and I. We’re inclined to Shadow.”

“Would that be this violet one?” Gray asked.

“You’re Shadow too Big Sister Gray?” Lathna smiled, “Just like me!”

“Ramona is gonna have her work cut out for her,” Curran joked, “At least we should have enough materials since you all have different elemental affinities.”

“You don’t have to forge us weapons if it would dip too far into your supply reserves,” Iskandar said, “The thought is kind enough.”

“You don’t have to worry,” Curran assured, “We have plenty of high dragon orbs and tails. Come on. Follow us. Our forge is pretty impressive.”

Curran led the group to the smithy, opening the door to show them inside. A female blacksmith with long blonde hair pounded away at still nearly molten iron, forging it into a sword.

“Renee, can you get the water ready?” she shouted.

“Sure thing Ramona!” a short, twin-tailed, blue haired girl replied, “Let’s cool you off!”

She dumped a bucket of water on the sword, steam rising from the freshly forged weapon.

“You’re up Rena!” Renee called.

“Understood,” a mature, magenta haired woman cooed, “Time to drink up your mana.”

Rena channeled fiery red mana into the sword, making it glow as it absorbed the power of flame.

“I hope Prince Euden likes his new sword,” Ramona smiled.

“Looks like you girls are working hard,” Curran commented.

“Oh Curran! Heinwald! You’re back,” she said, surprised.

“Are those new adventurers with you?” Renee beamed, “Welcome to the Smith Sisters’ forge! What can we do for you?”

“I’d like to buy them each a high dragon weapon,” Heinwald offered, pulling out his coinpurse, “A wind wand, a water staff, a light sword, and a shadow lance.”

“Might take a few hours, but I’ll have them out as soon as possible!” Ramona replied.

“It’s not too expensive, right?” Gray worried.

“Of course not,” Heinwald assured.

“Heinwald is filthy rich,” Curran said, “He could probably buy this whole castle and still have money left over.”

“I feel that’s a bit of an exaggeration, Curran,” Heinwald sighed, “But I do have enough to afford luxury gifts for friends, so you needn’t worry about me overspending. But now that that’s settled, would you like to see the main castle?”

“That sounds lovely!” Reines beamed.

The group left the smithy, heading through the main castle gates. Reines’ jaw dropped when she saw the décor. It wasn’t unlike the castles all across England, yet instead of crumbling walls, tattered tapestries, and moss covered edifices, this castle looked as good as new. A marble statue of a dragon stood tall in the main hall, and burgundy rugs lined the stone floors. There, Euden and his party were waiting for them, smiling hospitably.

“Welcome to the Halidom!” Euden said.

“You certainly have a beautiful kingdom, Prince Euden,” Iskandar praised.

“I’m flattered,” Euden blushed, “Please make yourselves at home. Anyone who helps my friends is a friend of mine.”

“Is there any particular kind of food you like?” Cleo asked, “I’ll be sure to cook up a big feast for dinner.”

“How are you with Greek cuisine?” Iskandar asked.

“Greek?” Cleo asked, “I’m sorry, I’ve never heard of such a cuisine before…”

“Hmm, I guess my homeland must go by a different name here,” Iskandar pondered.

“He really enjoys mint and pistachio crusted lamb, chicken kebabs, tabouleh…” Waver listed off, “If any of those dishes sound familiar to you…”

“Oh, I’ve had those before,” Cleo smiled, “Naveed and Verica request those dishes all the time. I’m certain they’ll be content to see their homeland’s cuisine on the menu tonight.”

“Hell yeah, can’t wait for the feast!” Ranzal cheered.

“Ranzal, you will have one plate and no more,” Cleo scolded, “If we have enough after our guests are satisfied, then maybe you can have seconds…”

“You tryin’ to starve me to death?” Ranzal complained.

“You’ll live,” Cleo sighed.

Ranzal hung his head, making Euden chuckle.

“How about dessert?” Cleo asked, ignoring Ranzal’s cries.

“I like parfaits,” Gray said meekly.

“That sounds delectable,” Heinwald salivated.

“Hey, where’s his call down…” Ranzal grumbled, “Heinwald is the first to eat all of our desserts…”

“Well unlike you, Heinwald can afford to gain some weight,” Cleo sassed, “So lamb, kebabs, tabouleh, and parfaits; is that ok with all of you?”

“Sure!” everyone responded.

“Alright,” Cleo nodded her head, “I’ll have it out by 5.”

“You need any help in the kitchen?” Curran offered.

“I’ll have Vice be my sous chef tonight,” Cleo replied, “You spend some time with our guests, Curran.”

“Looks like we still have a few hours to kill until dinner,” Curran said, “Iskandar, Waver, is there anything you guys want to do?”

“I would love to see that Library Obscura,” Waver replied.

“I wouldn’t mind taking a look at your dragon roost,” Iskandar added.

“Perhaps we should split up then?” Heinwald suggested, “Waver can come with me to the Library and you can take Iskandar to the roost. How about you, Gray, Reines?”

“As much as I’d like to go shopping, I’m worried we won’t have enough time,” Reines sighed.

“Would…” Lathna stammered, “Would you like to play with me?”

Gray smiled warmly, “We’d be happy to, Lathna.”

“Babysitting?” Reines sighed, “Not exactly what I had hoped for.”

“You don’t want to play with me?” Lathna looked down sadly.

Reines felt a pang of guilt. She didn’t want to make Lathna sad, especially after she endured so much anxiety from her guardians being missing.

“Well, ok…” Reines conceded, “Gray and I will play with you…”

“Yay!” Lathna beamed, “Let’s go to my room! I have some fun board games we can play!”

Lathna tugged on both of the girls’ sleeves, pulling down the hallway to the barracks and towards her room.

“Well then, shall we part ways here too?” Heinwald suggested, “We’ll meet in the Library at 4:30.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Curran replied.

Heinwald took Waver’s hand, leading him to the Library Obscura while Curran showed Iskandar to the Dragon Roost. The entry to the library was eerie and dark, yet something about it called to Waver, urging him to devour the countless tomes within.

“After you,” Heinwald offered, opening the door for his guest.

The inside of the library was a bit disorienting, its walls tilted and its lighting minimal, yet Waver was in awe about the sheer number of tomes displayed within. Back when he attended the Clock Tower as a student, he spent a good amount of his time in their library, relishing in all of the knowledge on magic theory, easily available for him to consume.

“What do you think of the archives?” Heinwald asked, pride lingering in his voice.

“It’s amazing,” Waver replied.

“Any particular kind of book you want to read? I’ve read most of them, so I can offer a recommendation.”

“I would love to learn more about the magic of this world. Magic theory has always interested me.”

“Hmm…”

Heinwald flicked his wrist to get Waver to follow him, leading him deeper into the library. He pulled aside a rolling ladder, sliding it in place and locking the base before ascending. Heinwald scanned the shelves, plucking a book from the tightly packed walls and sliding down the ladder.

“This one is excellent,” Heinwald recommended, _“_It’s called _On the Flow of Mana_. I wrote a paper on it back when I went off to study healing arts at Caldia.”

“I’ll gladly give it a read then,” Waver replied, accepting the book, “Is there anywhere we can sit down and read?”

“Let me grab a book for myself, then I’ll show you to the lounge.”

Heinwald chose a book for him to read, bringing Waver over to the lounge area. Comfortable lounge chairs, study desks, and even couches were arranged into a nice reading space. Waver sat down in one of the armchairs, making himself comfortable as he opened up his book. Heinwald sat down on one of the couches, making himself comfortable as he propped his legs up on one of its arms. Waver was a bit surprised that Heinwald was behaving so informally, but this library seemed to be a special place to him; it only made sense that he’d be absolutely comfortable in here. He decided to pay it no mind and began to read.

The book was completely captivating, its well-written text delving into the details of the magic of this world. If he had a question, all Waver had to do was ask Heinwald, who would gladly enlighten him. Waver felt like her could talk with Heinwald for hours about magic theory. He provided elucidating information and even engaged in civil debate. It was an absolute pleasure to have such a scholarly conversation about a subject Waver was so passionate about without having to worry about being considered inferior as a fourth generation mage.

“Heinwald!” a familiar voice called out.

Lathna rushed into the library with a smile from ear to ear. Her long, beige hair was now styled into a tight bun, a braid circling the coronet. Gray and Reines followed close behind her, taking a seat in the lounge area.

“Look at what Gray did for me!” she beamed, showing off her new hairstyle.

“You look adorable Lathna,” Heinwald praised.

“I feel like a princess,” she laughed, “Thank you Big Sister Gray!”

“I’m happy you like it,” Gray grinned.

“Heinwald would look pretty with it too,” Lathna said.

“Do you really think so, Lathna?” Heinwald chuckled.

“Your black and white hair would look so pretty in a braid.”

“Well then, would you like to braid it?”

“Can I?”

“Of course, sweetheart.”

Lathna turned to Gray, “You should braid your papa’s hair too. Then we can all match!”

“Hmm…” Gray thought, “I would love to, but I’m not sure he would like to wear this style.”

“You can do it, Gray,” Waver sighed.

“Are you sure, sir?”

“I prefer leaving my hair down, but if it would make Lathna and Heinwald happy, I’ll bear with it.”

“Ok. I think I have an extra hair tie for sir, but what about for Heinwald’s hair?”

“Would my hair ribbon work?” Heinwald suggested.

“It might be a bit harder to tie, but it should work,” Gray replied, “I’ll tie off his hair when you’re done Lathna.”

“Ok!” Lathna said.

Heinwald sat upright and scooted over, allowing Lathna to sit next to him on the couch. She untied his low ponytail, his black and white curls bobbing back. Lathna turned her head, watching Gray get to work on styling Waver’s hair and following her directions. She separated two sections of his hair, swirling the longest part into a bun.

“Big Sister Gray!” Lathna called, “Can you tie off the bun?”

“Of course,” Gray replied, finishing tying off the bun on her mentor.

As Gray tied off the bun, Lathna began to braid the other strands, overlapping black with white in a beautiful pattern. Lathna braided his curly locks to the tips, wrapping the braid around the bun and using the rest of the ribbon to secure the braid in place.

“Wow, you do look really pretty!” Lathna beamed.

“Thank you Lathna,” Heinwald smiled.

“That style looks nice on you,” Curran whistled.

“It looks amazing on you as well, my treasure,” Iskandar praised.

Heinwald turned, spotting Iskandar and Curran now walking over to the lounge area.

“Is it 4:30 already?” Heinwald asked.

“Yup,” Curran responded, “We should probably head the dining hall.”

“Time certainly flies when you’re having fun,” Waver chuckled, “Iskandar, what did you think of the Dragons Roost?”

“Their dragons are quite a sight to behold!” Iskandar raved, “Such majestic creatures, I can understand why the people of this land revere them! But all of that exploration certainly worked up an appetite, and I can’t wait to try Cleo’s cooking!”

“Well then let’s not keep her waiting,” Curran said.

Waver and Heinwald set down their books, heading out of the library with their families and back into the castle. Curran guided them to the dining hall, grabbing a table for the seven of them to sit at. Waver looked around the hall, his brow raising as the different adventurers in Euden’s ranks caught his eye. There was so much diversity in this room; people of all ages and races, of all shapes and sizes, all joining together to fight for a common cause, for the greater good of their world. Even though New Alberia was practically in the Stone Age in comparison to their technology, this camaraderie definitely reminded him of Chaldea.

“Oh there you guys are!” Ramona shouted, heading over to the table with several weapons in hand, “I bring gifts!”

She handed the freshly forged weapons to the guests, each one admiring their beauty and craftsmanship. Waver gripped the pike of his wand. It felt so natural in his hand, and he could practically feel the mana emanating from the weapon. He didn’t know how it would fare in Chaldea, but if it worked with the mana of his world, he’d probably swap out his feather fan for this wand instead.

“Thank you so much,” Waver said, “Ramona, was it?”

“Yup!” Ramona beamed, “If anyone you know needs weapons be sure to tell them about the Smith Sisters!”

“I certainly will,” Waver chuckled, “And thank you Heinwald for buying them for us. It was a very thoughtful souvenir.”

“I’m happy you like it,” Heinwald responded, “I spare no expense for friends.”

“Everyone!” Cleo announced, “Dinner is served.”

“Save the table for us Hein,” Curran said, “Iskandar and I will grab our dinners.”

“Hurry back,” Heinwald replied.

Iskandar and Curran headed over to the kitchen, lining up and grabbing food for their families. Cleo’s cooking looked amazing as always. The lamb had an inviting, fragrant crust and the kebabs were skewered with tender chicken and vibrant peppers. The tabouleh on the side looked like it would add a delectable freshness that completed the hearty meal. The two piled up their trays, bringing the platters back to the table before dividing it up amongst their loved ones. Iskandar sliced into his lamb, admiring the beautiful pink of the medium rare center and delectable juices that glistened on the meat. He took a bite of the meat, smiling as the tender piece flooded his mouth with savory juices.

“Cleo is certainly a talented chef!” Iskandar praised, “I could only imagine what delicious food she and Emiya could make if they ever collaborated.”

“Bring him over the next time you come back!” Curran said, “But we’ll have to put a muzzle on Ranzal so everyone can actually enjoy their cooking.”

“I rather like it here,” Reines commented, “It’s so quaint. I do wish we had more time here so I could do some more sightseeing.”

“You’re welcome to return any time,” Heinwald replied, “You four, and everyone in Chaldea.”

The seven continued chatting and eating, enjoying their dinners and desserts. However as the plates were cleaned and the sun began to melt past the horizon, the time soon came for the Chaldean visitors to depart. Once their plates had been bussed, Waver, Iskandar, Reines, and Gray said their goodbyes to Euden, thanking him for his hospitality. Yet as they left the Halidom’s grounds, Curran, Heinwald and Lathna followed, accompanying them back to the Shadow Border.

“Saying goodbye is always difficult,” Heinwald sighed.

“Don’t worry,” Waver assured, “This isn’t the end.”

“You will come back and play with me, right Big Sister Gray, Big Sister Reines?” Lathna asked.

“Of course,” Gray smiled.

“Maybe next time we can go shopping together,” Reines suggested, “And get some tea and biscuits after.”

“That sounds like fun!” Lathna beamed, “I’d love that!”

“We still have that double date too, Isky,” Curran added.

“Of course,” Iskandar chuckled, “Waver and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

As the four began to board the vehicle, Heinwald stopped Waver, pulling him into one final hug. This wouldn’t be the last time he’d ever see him, but Heinwald wouldn’t feel right seeing his friend off without one.

“Until next time, my dear friend,” Waver said.

“Safe travels, Waver,” Heinwald replied, “I’ll see you next time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! To all of my Fate readers, you should check out Dragalia and to all of my DL readers, I highly recommend Fate Zero and Lord El Melloi II Case Files if you want to see more of Waver, Iskandar, Gray, and Reines.


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